Exploring the integration of social inclusiveness approach within climate smart agriculture projects and its social impacts in Mandalay and Naypyidaw Region, Myanmar | |
| Author | Hein Htet Zaw |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.NR-24-05 |
| Subject(s) | Agricultural innovations--Burma--Social aspects Crops and climate--Burma--Social aspects |
| Note | A thesis submitted in patial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Natural Resources Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | The challenge of climate change is becoming increasingly significant for global food security, prompting initiatives like Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). While environmental aspects of CSA are emphasized, the integration of Social Inclusiveness Approach (SIA) remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining SIA integration and social impacts of CSA projects in Myanmar. The study's objectives are threefold: 1) assess the level of SIA integration in CSA projects; 2) investigate the challenges and opportunities in effective SIA integration; and 3) identify the social impacts experienced by local communities due to CSA projects. The study focuses on three CSA projects in Myanmar namely, Sustainable cropland and forest management in priority agro-ecosystems of Myanmar (SLM-GEF project), Climate Smart Villages (CSV) project and Climate Smart Rice (CSR) project. Primary data was gathered from household surveys, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The sample size for the survey was 110 and it was calculated using Yamane formula (1967) accounting for 10% marginal error. Secondary data was collected from project documents of the selected CSA projects. Document analysis was used to assess the level of SIA integration of CSA projects and thematic analysis was used to identify the challenges and opportunities in SIA integration. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to analyze the social impacts of CSA projects and H-test and Dunn’s test were used for the inferential analysis of farmers’ perception on social impacts of the CSA projects. The CSV project showed a high level of SIA integration while CSR and SLM-GEF showed moderate levels. Key challenges to SIA integration include limited resources and awareness, while opportunities include long-term benefits and stakeholder engagement. The regression analysis results showed that there are significant predictors of farmers’ agricultural income, collaboration within the community, engagement in seed-saving and sharing and women’s participation in decision-making. Differences between the farmers’ perceptions on social impacts of each CSA project are evident in the findings. This study underscores the critical need for thorough SIA in development projects, advocating for targeted approaches, community engagement, and policy interventions to ensure sustainable agricultural practices and positive social impacts within agricultural development initiatives |
| Year | 2024 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Natural Resources Management (NRM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Shrestha, Rajendra Prasad |
| Examination Committee(s) | Tsusaka, Takuji W.;Kusakabe, Kyoko |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Thai Pipe Scholarship;AIT scholarships |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2024 |