Earthquake in Myanmar: As the planting season nears, FAO scales up emergency response for farmers | FAO News

Rome – Following the devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is scaling up its emergency response to support rural communities whose livelihoods have been severely affected or destroyed.

Over 3.7 million hectares of cropland across key agricultural regions – Sagaing, Magway, Mandalay, & Shan – were exposed to the earthquake. These regions produce one-third of Myanmar’s cereals & nearly 80 percent of its maize, & account for a significant share of the country’s livestock.

“The United Nations preliminary analysis shows that over nine million people were affected by this earthquake,” said FAO Representative in Myanmar Yuka Makino. “Farmers lost their fields. Families are without homes & entire communities are struggling to rebuild. The regions hit hardest were already facing challenges from ongoing instability, disrupted supply chains, limited labour, & difficulties in accessing agricultural inputs.” 

Critical damage to agriculture & livelihoods

The earthquake caused widespread damage to cropland, irrigation infrastructure, storage facilities, agricultural equipment & inputs, severely disrupting food production. Landslides, tremors, & cracks particularly hit townships, such as Taungoo, Sagaing, Shwebo, Oktwin, & Nyaungshwe.

Standing crops – including rice, oilseeds, & vegetables – were destroyed just before harvest in several locations. Farmers in Nyaungshwe lost all vegetable crops, while in Taungoo township, Doe Inn Village Tract, all rice fields were wiped out. The earthquake also affected livestock & fisheries, causing the collapse of shelters & destruction of feedstock & fishponds, exacerbating the crisis for farming communities already burdened by conflict & market disruptions.

Many affected farmers not only lost their homes but now face critical shortages of seeds, fertilizers, & other inputs ahead of the crucial June 2025 monsoon planting season.

FAO’s emergency response

Under the Flash Appeal, FAO requires $8.3 million to reach nearly 71,000 people or approximately 14,400 households in the most severely affected rural areas between April & September 2025. FAO’s response will combine financial assistance & agricultural inputs & support to help farming communities restore their livelihoods & prepare for the upcoming cropping seasons.

Key response activities include:

• Provision of financial assistance to affected households to meet immediate food, livelihood, & farming needs, enabling recovery & preparation for the monsoon season.
• Distribution of vegetable production packages to selected targeted beneficiaries, enabling quick access to nutritious food within 4-6 weeks.
• Supply of essential agricultural inputs such as seeds (corn, groundnut, sesame, pulses, paddy) & fertilizers to farmers for winter season production to sustain food supply & income.
• Conditional cash-for-work interventions aimed at repairing & rehabilitating damaged rural infrastructure, such as irrigation canals, markets, farm roads, small bridges, & landslide-affected farmland.

FAO’s response prioritizes restoring critical food production capacity, providing rapid income support, & rebuilding essential infrastructure so that rural families can recover, produce food & restore their livelihoods. The response plan is aligned with the broader humanitarian efforts under the UN Myanmar Earthquake Flash Appeal & reflects FAO’s commitment to ensuring that no farmer is left behind in the recovery process.

The targets & funding outlined in this Urgent Call are intended to complement FAO’s ongoing & broader efforts to assist 400,000 people in Myanmar under the 2025 Humanitarian Needs Response Plan, which requires $28.5 million in total funding.