Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing meets cabinet members of Magway Region government, district and township level departmental personnel, local elders and farmers and discusses regional development
NAY PYI TAW February 9
Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met cabinet members of Magway Region government, district and township level departmental personnel, local elders and farmers at Magway Town Hall in Magway this afternoon.
Also present were SAC members Lt-Gen Moe Myint Tun, U Moung Har, U Shwe Kyein, SAC Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo, Union ministers U Ko Ko, U Tin Htut Oo, U Hla Moe, U Khin Maung Yi, U Aung Than Oo, Dr Thet Khaing Win, Union Auditor-General Dr Kan Zaw, Magway Region Chief Minister U Tint Lwin, senior military officers of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and Commander of Central Command Maj-Gen Ko Ko Oo.
Chief Minister U Tint Lwin reported on points of the region,local agriculture and farm production industry, edible oil production and sufficiency, solar power programs to assist agriculture and farming, efforts to increase cotton yield, cottage industries, rural electrification undertakings, 100 percent employment of education staff and departmental personnel, schooling activities, public health care, COVID-19 vaccination undertakings and preparations for providing treatment, NRC issuance programs, sports development undertakings, drinking water sufficiency and future programs.
Then, the reports on farming equipment needs of sesame, groundnut, green pea, cotton and onion farmers, inputs, fertilizers needs, crops and finishedgoods exports, necessary means for development of agriculture and other requirements were presented by crop experts.
In response, Union ministers U Khin Maung Yi, Dr Thet Khaing Win, U Tin Htut Oo, U Ko Ko, U Hla Moe, U Aung Than Oo, and the Union Auditor- General explained ministry-wise undertakings, including, the ongoing, annual environmental greening programs, health promotion programs, efforts for development of agriculture and farming and finished products, preservation of archaeological zones in the region, tourism extension programs, plans to set up farmer cooperative societies to sell farming equipment under installment system, assistance for farming, opening of vocation trainings for cottage industries, rural development undertakings, plans to set up new fertilizer factories, and programs to supply electricity sufficiently.
Then, the Senior General looked into the requirements. As regards, the regional development undertakings, he said the visit is mainly for development of Magway Region. It has lots of resources for agriculture and farming. Eighty percent of its population is rural dwellers, their staple crops are beans and pulses, sesame, cotton and onion. They also carry out farming.
It is used in peanut oil and sesame oil as well as in other products. There are also exports.
Sesame is the lowest in oil yields and peanuts have higher oil yields than sesame.
It will be more beneficial if we can increase yields.
Basically, agriculture needs seed, land, water and methods.
It is necessary to be good quality seed, improve the soil, add fertilizers, get water and correct farming methods. Similarly, animals need to be well-fed in livestock farming.
The existing Ayeyawady River needs to be used systematically to get water for agricultural lands. There are over 600,000 acres of paddy fields and more than 2.2 million acres of other cultivated land. It is necessary to use water efficiently as well as solar energy efficiently. In Magway Region, the average rainy day in a year is only 70 days. The solar power generation will have the benefit of carrying out river pumping activities to get the water needed for agricultural land. Similarly, there are areas where the Ayeyawady River can be maintained in Magway Region, and low head dams can be constructed in these areas to ensure adequate irrigation water throughout the year while generating electricity from hydropower plants.
Regarding fertilizer availability, there are natural fertilizers and chemical fertilizers. There are more than 1.3 million head of cattle, over 38,000 buffaloes; 1.6 million broilers, over 200,000 layer chickens and over 3.3 million domestic chickens in Magway Region. Manure from cattle, buffaloes and chickens can be used effectively in agriculture.
Manure from cattle, buffaloes and chickens are used as a biological fertilizer. Biofertilizers can be obtained if the livestock farming system is carried out through the breeding system. Magway Region has plentiful of basic raw materials for animal feed. Systematic processing of millet and straw to ensure adequate animal feed (For example: making corn and straw pickle) throughout the year.
Regarding goat farming, Htein San strain breeding in Magway Region has a good meat yield. Human resources are needed for the success of livestock farming. There are universities, colleges and training schools in Magway Region, and work is underway to open more agricultural science schools. The universities were start opened on January 6. It is found that there is a need for more educated people for the development of the country.
It was found that the percentage of university graduates in Magway Region is low. It was found that the transition was low and the level of education was still low. It was found that there were school dropouts during the transition period due to various reasons.
Only those who have a good education will have skills, so it is important for them to have a good education. In agriculture, by attending agricultural schools by at least Grade 9, you will become more proficient in agriculture.
Only then we will be able to produce more agricultural products and improve social life.
We need to get an education and run a good business at the right age, and we need to make good use of what we already have. Schools and education need to be upgraded to produce human resources. Similarly, it is necessary to avoid eating and drinking as much as possible and individual health practices need to be reformed. If we can reduce smoking, drinking alcohol and betel consumption, we can reduce the health effects. We need to have a healthy diet. In addition to eating rice, vegetables, meat, fish and eggs need to be eaten. Consumption of cooking oil also needs to be reduced to be healthy. If you eat food consciously, it will help your health a lot.
In order to improve the sufficiency of food in agriculture, it is necessary to systematically cultivate and increase yields on existing land rather than expanding agricultural lands.
Now that there are fewer trees, it needs to be maintained. The use of firewood for cooking needs to be reduced as much as possible and it needs to be done by generating electricity using solar energy. By conserving forest trees, the climate will improve. I want to urge to act as a national duty to cultivate forest plantations and villageowned firewood plantations.
In growing cotton, it is important to get good strains, correct cultivation methods and enoughn water supply. The cottons we produce in our country are enough for ourselves. Yet, there are still requirements to produce high-quality textile. This is why the State is trying to obtain good strains from abroad. Our country still has to import textile so efforts must be made to cultivate and produce high-quality cotton.
Cotton seeds can produce oil as well as animal food. Increased domestic production of cotton will facilitate the domestic industry as well.
There were a lot of trade deficits from 2010 to 2020 because of great reliance on import without encouragement of domestic production. So, domestic manufacturing must be encouraged.
Magway Region has a lot of neem trees from which pesticides can be produced for agricultural purposes. Magway is urged to try to become a major region to produce clothing for the people of the country.
Regarding onion cultivation, the region has the capacity to produce onions in massive numbers. It also should be a major product of the region.
High yield will generate benefits.
The onions produced by our country are exported to other countries every year.
Based on onions, value-added products can be produced thereby contributing to the small-scale industry.
There are gaps among the areas of Magway Region. To narrow the gaps, all responsible officials must work together for rural development. Efforts are necessary to improve the regional economy and transport.
We are trying for national prosperity and food security by adopting policies. The regional government and all departments and organizations need to cooperate with the local people in the efforts for regional progress.
In endeavouring for regional peace and stability, we are acting with utmost restraint to avoid grudge and hatred.
Encouragement is also being made for education sector while constant measures are being taken for public health care services. Measures are being taken for agricultural and livestock breeding development to improve the lives of the rural people. To ensure that Magway is a region on which the State can rely, we need to make concerted efforts by making best use of the existing resources.
After the meeting, the Senior General and party cordially greeted those present.
Next, the Senior General and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla and party visited the Myathalun Pagoda in Magway.
The Senior General and wife offered flowers and water to the pagoda.
They then made cash donations and received a Dhamma gift from the pagoda board of trustees. The Senior General signed in the guests’ book, went clockwise around the pagoda and cordially greeted the pilgrims.