Success Stories

The saying “you reap what you sow!” conveys that future consequences are inevitably shaped by present actions. If a man sows well, he will reap well.

MPRL E&P, with the ultimate goal of contributing to the inclusive growth at the area where the business operates, undertakes focused interventions in agricultural management and also initiates sustainable agriculture practices at 14 surrounding villages in Mann Field. During these years since July 2019, MPRL E&P’s CSR Program has empowered horticulture farmers with sustainable farming practices by organizing horticulture training, delivering hands-on trainings on making natural fertilizer (Fish Amino Acid) and making natural pesticide, providing seeds and plastic mulch through Horticulture Farmer Committee, and facilitating for agricultural experts’ technical assistance as needed. In this Fiscal Year 2021-2022, 18 farmers from Mann Kyoe, Kyar Kan, and Kywe Cha Villages were growing 7.25 acres of tomato with new cultivation techniques they had learned from horticulture training. Among them, tomato growers from Mann Kyoe Village revealed how much they had benefited from adopting sustainable horticulture practices at their lands as of 28^th February 2022. Let’s hear how much they fetched in this harvest year!

Daw Win Khaing (Mann Kyoe Village)

“This is my very first time sowing tomatoes using sustainable horticulture practices initiated by MPRL E&P’s CSR Program. Last year, I couldn’t sow using horticulture training techniques and so ended up trying only traditional methods, as I couldn’t afford any huge investment costs. But this year, I could grow 0.35 acres of tomato farm because the CSR Program provided necessary tomato seeds and plastic mulch to horticulture farmers like us.

I have invested a total cost of MMK 750,000 and harvested 4,500 visses as of 28^th February 2022. Nearly two-thirds of the land has been harvested and until now I have gained a sale amount of MMK 8,000,000. My tomatoes are large in size and pretty in color. I am very happy with the return on investment and I would like to thank MPRL E&P for providing such knowledge and resources. I would like to kindly request this kind of support for the upcoming year as well.”

U Aung Myint San (Mann Kyoe Village)

“It has been over two years that I have been growing tomatoes using modern training methods introduced and supported by MPRL E&P’s CSR Program. Currently, I am growing tomatoes on 0.55 acres of land. Although I want to grow more vegetables, I don’t have enough space to sow. The advantages of sowing tomatoes using modern techniques include awesome crop yield, more harvesting time, and longer plant life.

I am earning about MMK 7,000,000 with a total yield of 3,800 visses from my farm. Last year, the sale amount was MMK 3,200,000, and the gross profit was MMK 2,400,000. There are some crops left in the field and harvesting is still in progress. I want to thank MPRL E&P’s CSR Program for its continuous support of our agricultural needs. Because of MPRL E&P, farmers who couldn’t cultivate before can now make earnings using modern agricultural techniques. In the coming years, please continue supporting us as we look forward to implementing new practices that promote sustainable agriculture and food security. Thank you again.”

Daw Mar Mar Aye (Mann Kyoe Village)

“I have 0.45 acres of farmland and I am currently growing tomatoes on this land. The systematic cultivation method provided by the MPRL E&P’s CSR program has a higher cost than the traditional one, however, it has a lesser frequency of irrigation and cheaper wedding cost. Furthermore, not many pesticides are needed due to the low disease incidence and good resistance. These days, my tomato farm is getting a sale amount of about MMK 6,300,000 with a yield amount of 3,700 visses and harvesting is still in progress.

This year, total investment cost is about MMK 570,000. But last year, a sale amount was only MMK 1,899,700 with total investment cost of MMK 300,000. This year, 10 more farmers have participated in sowing tomatoes with MPRL E&P’s modern methods after seeing our previous farming progress. I am pleased to see our neighbors sharing good agricultural practices. This is because of MPRL E&P’s great support! I wish MPRL E&P would continue to support farmers who cannot afford to cultivate with new plantation methods.”

U Tun Hla Aung (Mann Kyoe Village)

“Just like my peers, I have been cultivating tomatoes using the horticulture training method since 2019. I attended all agricultural trainings and knowledge sharing sessions conducted by MPRL E&P’s CSR Program and apply that newly acquired knowledge when I work on my farm. My tomato farm is 0.45 acres wide and I have plans to expand it. I am getting a sale amount of MMK 5,000,000 with a yield amount of 3,300 visses and harvesting is still in progress. This year, I invested a total amount of MMK 850,000 in this farmland while last year was it was about MMK 800,000.

Furthermore, I noticed that our community farmers prefer to use Fish Amino Acid, the fertilizer that we learned to produce on our own. It is useful for us as it helps produce better quality and healthy crops. Besides, it is more affordable than other chemical fertilizers and is much safer to use. Because of MPRL E&P’s benevolence and training sessions, most of us are now cultivating more and at the same time, our livelihoods are getting better. Special thanks to the Company and its generous support to our farming community!”

How pleasing it is to find out about each and every farmer’s acknowledgment of the agricultural development initiatives conducted by MPRL E&P’s CSR Program and their success stories! We believe everything that happens is a result of things that we have done in the past. We reap what we sow.

Promoting Animal Husbandry and Healthcare Knowledge in Mann Field Communities

While agriculture is the main strength of Myanmar’s economy, livestock farming is also a key contributor. In other words, after agriculture, livestock farming, one of the oldest economic activities of man, is the second most important sector in the country’s agriculture-based economy. It plays a significant role in rural livelihoods, especially since farmers raise farm animals for both food and labor purposes. It is one of the pillars of a sustainable food system and a major contributor to poverty reduction, food security, and agricultural development of the country.

Animal husbandry deals with day-to-day care, breeding, and raising of livestock like cows, buffaloes, horses, pigs, goats, and sheep that are useful for humans and important for the livelihoods of the farmers. To maintain sustainable development of livelihoods, farmers are responsible for the care and management of livestock, including the protection of animals against diseases. Just like any human health issue, prevention is better than cure.

Launching Livestock Development Initiative

Most communities around Mann Field make a living from agricultural and livestock production. MPRL E&P is committed to improving the lives of the communities around Mann Field where we operate, and also helping these communities achieve their self-reliance. Therefore, MPRL E&P’s CSR & Communications Department strives to increase opportunities for the sustainable development of the communities through strategic investments.

The CSR & Communications Department has conducted engagement meetings with the community stakeholders to identify their needs and create solutions for shared values. Through regular stakeholder engagement and needs assessment meetings, community investment initiatives are developed, one example being the “Launching Livestock Development Initiative”. We have implemented this important initiative by collaborating with the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD – Minbu). This strategic partnership between the company and the government agency has enhanced livestock sector development in 14 surrounding villages around Mann Field.

Promoting Animal Husbandry and Healthcare Knowledge

MPRL E&P has promoted knowledge sharing and practices on animal husbandry and healthcare in Mann Field Communities by conducting subject-matter-related sessions: seven-day session on basic knowledge sharing in March 2020, three-day training on basic knowledge in December 2020, and three-day training on advanced knowledge in December 2021.

The sessions covered a total of 238 community farmers and helped them improve livestock raising and caring practices for long-term farming development. The training programs enhanced livestock breeders’ knowledge of animal selection, weight calculation, healthcare, artificial insemination, medication, nutrition, vaccination food security, and food safety. Not to mention, preventing diseases in farm animals can positively impact the economy and can secure a safe and nutritious food supply.

It is not wrong to say “Prevention is better than cure!”

Facilitating for Nutrition and Vaccination

It is also important that farm animals have good nutrition and suitable vaccination and to ensure this, MPRL E&P’s CSR Field Team focused on delivering necessary resources and support between the community and LBVD (Minbu) as the main facilitator.

The CSR Field Team would contact the LBVD (Minbu) officers in person or over the phone to discuss community needs for their livestock’s nutrition and vaccination. The Team would also organize meetings for treatment instruction, collecting farm animal lists, distributing vaccines to cure Newcastle disease in poultry and Blackleg disease in cattle, and lastly, delivering Napier grass provided by LBVD (Minbu) for animal nutrition.

It is obvious that facilitation is important in every sector to build a better future in the community.

Monitoring Progress Update

To ensure continuous improvements, we would track progress and conduct review or evaluation meetings with beneficiary stakeholders.

As of 28^th February 2022, a total number of 3,202 poultry and 1,500 cattle have received vaccination under the collaborative support of the company and the LBVD (Minbu).

Besides, Napier grass cultivation, which has been implemented as the pilot program for animal food security in the community, has been recorded with positive feedback and good results from farm owners.

Keeping Animals Healthy to Keep Communities Happy

Animal health is just as important as human health, especially in rural communities where livestock farming plays a key role in the local economy and sustainable livelihoods of the community. Animal diseases must be prevented as they have a huge impact on securing a safe, nutritious, and sufficient food supply. We must further invest in tools like vaccination and nutrition so that we can continually improve animal husbandry and livestock farming.

Considering the above all, it can see that MPRL E&P would make every effort to improve good husbandry practices in Mann Field Communities with the sustainable livelihoods goals.

Keeping animals healthy keeps communities vibrant and happy!

When Sunflowers Face Eastward

Sunflower is a pollinator-dependent crop, which is extensively cultivated worldwide for oil production.

It is an important source of food for human health through the consumption of sunflower oil which is considered a premium quality oil containing vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids.

Sunflower seed production is one of the three focused areas of the Farmer Field School mounted by MPRL E&P’s CSR Program in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture (Minbu) starting from April 2021 to support smallholder farmers in developing quality and climate-resilient seeds.

Sunflower farming

Some of the agronomical practices in sunflower cultivation include a selection of well-drained and fertile land with no previous history of growing sunflower, applying balanced and adequate nutrition including irrigation, and having beehives near the field. Many of us find it fun to watch as the plants face the morning sun in the east when the flowers open.

As its anatomy says, the head of the sunflower is not just a single flower but rather an array of flowers within the flower. The outer bright yellow petals known as the ray florets, along with the lovely smell of the nectar warmed by the sun in the east, draw bees into the large brown center disc, which contains dozens of small flowers called disc florets, each of which with the ability to produce seed. It is where pollination, one of the most fascinating processes in the natural world, happens.

Humans acting as pollinators

The 2.5-acre pilot sunflower seed production farm by Community Volunteer U Thein Naing from Kywe Cha Village uses a hybrid seed variety locally developed at a farm in Nay Pyi Taw – Tat Kone, and extension staff from the Department of Agriculture (Minbu) brought a total of 20 farmers from five villages on board an on-farm demonstration on human facilitated pollination in late December 2021. The demonstration on the pilot farm involves touching the pollen from a male flower with a gentle paintbrush and carrying it to the female flowers.

Production of hybrid sunflower seeds requires planting male and female lines in the same fields, usually alternating with four rows of females and two rows of males. In this regard, mediated pollination is essential for transferring pollen from a male plant to a female plant and this movement of pollen allows the plant to reproduce and to exchange genetic information with other plants. Human mediated pollination should be completed within five days and a successful harvest can follow in the next twenty to thirty days.

Upon harvest, seeds from the male rows can be utilized to produce cooking oil while seeds from the female rows will become seeds for the next growing season, clean and dried thoroughly in the sun and applied with fungicides before storing in line with advice and instructions from the Department of Agriculture (Minbu). Normally, a sunflower completes its life cycle within 80 to 85 days in total.

Advantages of sunflower seeds produced in the pilot farm

Through the open and systematic cultivation of the oilseed sunflower, we can ensure farmers can trust its authenticity, quality, affordability, region suitability, high yield, high oil production, ability to withstand local weather and pests, and more uniformity by looking at plant height and flower size. If the seeds produced are successful, quality tests and certification need to be completed.

For this very first initiative, we anticipate some shortcomings such as lower yield than expected due to weather conditions and farming techniques, which can be eliminated over time through continuous learning and improvements.

They are of essential value in today’s world, especially in disadvantaged communities. The partnership between diverse stakeholders and community leaders can make a huge difference in the community because they can reinforce positive attitudes towards education.

In addition, the support from these stakeholders will ensure that the children in these communities receive proper education, and at the same time, prepare them to transition into adulthood.

Ensuring schools are equipped with safe water, sanitation facilities, and equipment to meet the basic needs of children is a good starting point and requires a consistent and inclusive effort.

According to UNICEF (Myanmar), a lack of functioning WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) facilities in schools can result in lower child attendance and achievement.

For instance, community schools in Mann Field depend on water from Mann creek as their primary source, of which turbidity is high, making it unsuitable for everyday drinking.

Seeing there is a need in these disadvantaged communities, MPRL E&P prioritizes supporting water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities in schools by putting in place water filtration units and hand-washing stations coupled with information sessions on the water, sanitation, and waste management for school children, an initiative that began in 2016.

A total of 11 public schools—one high school and the rest middle and primary schools—are located in the 14 surrounding villages in Mann Field. MPRL E&P’s CSR Program supports these schools on a needs basis, some of which reflect underinvestment and rural-urban disparities.

In this regard, MPRL E&P’s CSR Program dedicates a portion of an annual infrastructural budget for school renovation and supply projects—both major and minor ones.

Furthermore, carrying out specific school projects make the community schools safer and stronger. These projects include school fencing and school gate construction as well as old school restoration and renovation, which are implemened by sourcing building materials and equipment locally to support the region’s economy.

Gauging the conditions of community schools and understanding the risks they pose to young learners together with community leaders and school officials is part of the restoration and renovation process.

Then one can decide whether to restore or to renovate the buildings. On the cards are two school restoration projects in Kyar Kan Village and Lay Eain Tan Village.

With an objective to warrant a sense of participation and ownership regarding the major renovation projects, the CSR Program welcomes a small percentage of financial and labor contributions by the community in these school-related projects.

Meanwhile, investing in appropriate classroom interior design is essential in enhancing the overall learning experience for the children. The CSR Program hires a local artist to create wall paintings in the Auk Kyaung Kindergarten classroom, which has been the most expensive renovation project up to now.

Adequate school furniture plays a critical role, in combination with textbooks and teachers, in creating a conducive learning environment.

Based on requests by school officials, the CSR Program delivers school supplies including benches and desks, as well as cabinets, bookshelves, and glass cupboards for teachers’ rooms as part of our minor school projects.

Under the discussion is a plan to work with school teachers and relevant organizations to initiate two school-based pilot projects, namely ‘Green Schoolyard’ and ‘Bokashi School Composting’, with an emphasis on environmental sustainability that will facilitate extracurricular learning of school children and make schools more sustainable in the long run.

The pandemic has rendered schools across the country empty. However, schools will soon be reopening their doors to welcome students back under careful safeguards as soon as coronavirus restrictions are dropped.

What lies ahead will be an enjoyable learning journey for children who have been away from their studies for a while.

Daw Myint Myint Khaing lives in Auk Kyaung Village in Mann Field. While her husband works a mason, she stays at home. In addition to doing household chores, she is generating an income through her home business of making soaps called “Yoon Family”. She attended both the first soap-making training as well as the advanced training on natural, cold process soap-making in Pyay. All the trainings have been part of MPRL E&P’s CSR initiatives in order to promote livelihood opportunities and women-led SMEs development in Mann Field.“After the advanced training in Pyay, we three trainees tried to make new products using our new skills. We can buy ingredients from Magway but quality is a bit substandard from those ordered from Yangon. So later we will discuss how to secure quality ingredients together. As we started selling all-natural, cold process soap bars, we have received good customer feedback. People said after using the soap bars, their faces became smooth. So there have been more orders coming in.”

The soap-maker continued, “As we work as a group, we do bookkeeping carefully. Now we share the upfront costs, and use one of our houses as a workstation. We produce five types of soap bars named “May Nant Thar”, and a soap bar can cost between MMK 2,500 and 3,000.” Daw Myint Myint Khaing expressed her satisfaction with the progress she has made so far with her soap making business. “As I am now having my own income, I do not have to worry about fulfilling my household needs. In the future, I will focus both on my own business and the group business. We have identified new shops where our products will be displayed, and we also are making home deliveries. So we expect our customer base will grow over time.”

Daw Khin Thuzar is a 36-year-old soap-maker residing in the MOGE Mann Kyoe Barrack (MOGE Staff Quarter), as her husband is an MOGE Staff. She attended the first soap-making training provided by MPRL E&P in November 2017. After the training, she started to produce shampoo and soap under the product name “Thuzar”. She purchases the ingredients for her products from Minbu. She is happy they can be locally sourced although she notes bottles for liquid soap can sometimes be difficult to procure as the way she would want. With regard to the sales and income of her products, she said, “My shampoos sell better, and I think I am good at it. The product sells very well in Yangon, Mann Field, Minbu and other villages. In Magway, you can get one at the Kaung Mon Shopping Centre. I have loyal customers who buy my products a lot.”Daw Khin Thuzar explained how her business contributes to her family and her family’s support in return. “I now can support my family as I have started generating an income. I set aside two to three days every month to produce the products. My family also gives a hand. They are happy about my business. Sometimes I ask my friends to lend a hand so they can make some money in return. Now we do not have to buy soap as we can use our own products. It’s fun!”

Then she joined the intensive professional soap-making training in Pyay in August this year. She said she has gained both new knowledge and new business contacts through the training in order to help her business grow in the future.

Daw Ohnmar Than from Kwe Cha Village started producing detergent soaps called “Ohnmar Myint Moh” as a home business in addition to her agricultural work. She sells it mainly in her village, but she intends to extend it to nearby villages and at retailers by offering commissions.

“When I attended the professional soap-making training in Pyay, provided by Charcoal Natural Soap-Making, arranged by MPRL E&P’s CSR Program in Mann Field, together with Daw Khin Thuzar and Daw Myint Myint Khaing, I learned new techniques which are different from the first training. There are two types of soap-making techniques: hot process and cold process. The latter was what I learned during the advanced training, and it is less time-consuming to produce and sell. You can see the difference through the bathing experience, as well as their prices. We can also be more creative in the cold process soap making,” said Daw Ohnmar Than.

The 34-year-old is grateful to receive close assistance from MPRL E&P’s Vocational Training Support Program, which includes organizing trainings, procuring raw materials, and linking market opportunities. “We are very happy to receive such support from MPRL E&P. Initially we were worried that the prices of our products were a little bit higher than local products. However, we have managed it.” In the future, she intends to discuss securing quality supplies for products with her group. As the income from her home business enables her to support her family, she hopes to do it for the long-term, hopes to improve the quality of her products.

Ma Kyi Kyi Myaing is a 27-year-old resident of Kyar Kan Village, one of the surrounding communities in Mann Field. She is currently serving as a Community Volunteer for the implementation of MPRL E&P’s CSR programs in Kyar Kan Village. While she recruited other women from her village who were interested in joining the vocational training on cotton bag making skills, she herself took part in the lessons. Then people said they liked the bags she made and she started to receive orders which she fulfills by participating in this sewing group.

Ma Kyi Kyi Myaing said, “I am inspired to expand our business by marketing our products at the local shops such school uniform shops. I aim to work together with the Nammadar Women’s Cooperative Sewing Group for the long term while performing my responsibilities as a Community Volunteer.”

She is hoping to save some of her earnings to invest in the future education of her son who has started attending the local school.

Ma Kyu Kyu Win, another 47-year-old Kyar Kan resident, spends her time sewing bags at the women’s cooperative Nammadar, the very first of its kind in the communities. On a daily basis, she would sit at the sewing machine and run the material through her fingers and under the pointed needle of the machine. The results are colourful bags ready and up for grabs!With her basic knowledge of sewing, Ma Kyu Kyu Win was able to secure her seat at the cotton bag making vocational training provided by MPRL E&P. She can now sew both cotton bags and traditional dresses. Therefore, she decided to concentrate on this business which enables her to earn a stable income.

Sitting in the middle of the sewing room which is a Kaleidoscope of colourful textiles, samples, threads and other necessary sewing items, Ma Kyu Kyu Win reflected, “The success of our cooperative depends on our organizational spirit. We have created rules since our establishment and we allocate profit among ourselves according to these rules. Personally, I am able to sew different patterns of bags. I now have many new customers and business contacts too. What I would like to request from MPRL E&P is to provide more training on designs. This will assist us tremendously in the future for the creation and marketing of our products.”

Ma San San Htay is a 25-year-old member of the cooperative from Lay Eain Tan Village. She explained that the cooperative would sell their own bags as well as customized products upon requests from customers. This allows them to be flexible with their customers. She is also thinking of concentrating on this bag making business as she has realized its potential to grow with the addition of design concepts and through the endorsement of her growing customer base.With regard to the support provided by the CSR programs, she said, “The CSR team has conducted many follow-up activities which are very supportive for us. They have this Vocational Training Support Program which enables us to secure material supplies, to further enhance our business skills, and to seize networking opportunities to market our products from the local level to the regional level. For our cooperative, we need to work together and aim to be an enduring success.”

Another beneficiary of the cotton bag making vocational training is Ma Wai Wai Lwin from Kyee Bin Kan Village. Although she was busy with her farming business, the 40-year-old decided to polish her basic sewing skills by attending the cotton bag making vocational training in late 2018.It has proved to be a good investment because with her enhanced skills she is able to produce better products which ensure customer satisfaction and attract more customers. She said satisfactorily, “Our cotton bags are becoming more and more popular with the customers because they are affordable in terms of price and sustainable in terms of the environment.”

With regard to her future plans of expanding the business, she hopes to receive additional support from the CSR program of MPRL E&P in Mann Field that will strengthen her business knowledge and pattern skills to master the textile arts.