East and Southeast Asia Sub-regional Workshop for GEF Focal Points

National GEF Priority Setting

San Win, Myanmar

Background information for Myanmar• Located in SE Asia, 676,557 Km2 in

area• Population 55 Millions (2006)• 70% Rural population (2% GR)• 42% lives in upland areas• Agricultural-based Economy• Land (soil) Conservation should be

given in priority

Soil degradation problems by area

• Soil erosion in hilly region• Salinity problems in costal area• Alkalinity problems in dry area• Acidity problem in laterite soil• Seasonal floods in low land

Soil erosion in hilly area

• Manily caused be shifting cultivation• 155,607 Km2 shifting cultivation

affected area (22.8% in 1989)• 2 million families estimated to be

involved in the practice• Fallow cycle ranges between 3-10 years

(0 in some areas)• Low crop productivity and increase in

human population accelerate further expansion of this practice

Alternative options in the place of the practice

• Agroforestry practice (areas close to urban areas)

• Fallow-land management System (in remote areas)

• Any other options (job opportunities)

National Action Plan-2005 to address the issue

• NAP: to reverse the trend of land degradation and desertification in short, medium and long-term

• To be integrated the NAP into the National SD plans, long-term programmes and strategies

For successful NAP implementation• Political commitment & support• People’s participation• Multidisciplinary approach• Sufficient resources• Regional and int’l cooperation• Capacity building &• Monitoring and evaluation

Programmes under imple -mentation in addition to the NAP

• Watershed management plan• Management of development activities

in the high-land of border areas (to reduce shifting cultivation practice)

• Planning highland reclamation for period 2003-07 (to reduce shifting cultivation practice)

• Implementation of community-based natural resource management

GEF focal areas for project funding

• Biological diversity• Climate Change• International Waters• Ozone-Layer Depletion• Land Degradation and• POPs(Focal Point Handbook)

GEF funding

• Being an agricultural-based country Myanmar is, land conservation is given in top priority

• Land rehabilitation and conservation measures are in-line with the national priority, and GEF funding to those activities will ensure for achieving the Sustainable Development in the country