Assessing the Needs of Myanmar’s Avocado Sector

Sometimes, up to half of the avocado production in Myanmar does not reach markets. Therefore, the Myanmar Avocado Association (MAVO), formed in 2018, asked the Farmer-to-Farmer program for assistance with an avocado industry assessment report that could be used as a roadmap towards reducing wasted fruit and exporting some of it. The association, which has over 2,000 members, also wanted the assessment to help the Myanmar avocado sector with micro- and macro-economic strategies for development and to have more close collaboration with the private sector in the US. 

The chosen volunteer for this assignment was Dr. Michael Thomas, a Biodiversity Specialist at the Centre for International Ethnomedicinal Education and Research, who holds a Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Florida. Dr. Thomas has a lot of experience working with avocado farmer groups in Myanmar, had already conducted Training-of-Trainer workshops and was the facilitator when MAVO attended the California Avocado Society Annual Meeting in 2018. 

Dr. Thomas was in Myanmar in January and February of 2020 and during his assignment met with farmer groups, lead group discussions, and visited multiple orchards and nursery farms. He also met with private processors and NGOs involved in the avocado sector to get updated and clear information. Thanks to all these consultations he was able to assess the level of need for training in each phase of the avocado value chain and help create a training schedule for 16 future F2F assignments. He also made a list of technical recommendations to improve local farming practices and suggested they establish processing plants to market quality fruits to local and export markets, and produce different value-added products. 

Dr. Thomas greatly enjoyed his assignment: “This was my third visit to Myanmar, so it was even more rewarding to return and interact with some of the hosts and participants from the first assignment. I had a wonderful experience. The Senior Growers and Master Growers were genuinely willing to listen and were eager to learn, and the workshops were very successful. The Partners of the Americas staff provided very good support and were very professional. The accommodations were great, as was the food. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit a few cultural sites which was rewarding and helped me to understand the Burmese culture. I learned much about both the Burmese language, the Shan people, and their culture, as well as the traditional small-holder agricultural systems of Myanmar.”