A JOINT project by the Myanma Agriculture Service and the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute has contributed to an increase in paddy yields, a senior official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation said.

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The general manager of the MAS’s Land Use Division, Dr Nyi Nyi, said the Reaching Towards Optimum Productivity project launched in 2002 had resulted in a 20 per cent increase in yields at research farms at Hlegu, about 30 miles north of Yangon.

Dr Nyi Nyi said about 80 per cent of the fertilisers used on farms were wasted because farmers were not aware of the best application methods.

He said IRRI was providing US$4000 a year towards the project, part of which had gone towards training agricultural extension officers to use a leaf colour chart which indicates the optimum time to apply fertiliser.

Dr Nyi Nyi said the funding from IRRI had also supported the distribution of 15,000 of the colour charts, which were easy for farmers to use.

Dr Nyi Nyi said the fertiliser application method funding was used on about 4000 acres of paddy in Yangon, Bago and Sagaing divisions last year.

The MAS expects the method to be eventually used on up to 200,000 acres in the main rice-growing areas.

The project would make an important contribution towards realising a national yield target of 100 baskets an acre, Dr Nyi Nyi said.

“It is a good project for sustainable food security and farm profitability in intensive rice growing areas,” he said.

He said sustaining food security and alleviating poverty in developing countries would require higher yields achieved at lower cost.

Myanmar became a member of IRRI in 2002.