As an agrarian society, Myanmar’s economy is tied to its currently underperforming agricultural productivity. Mechanisation and improved farming practices will boost the sector, but both rely on affordable and reliable access to energy.

Energy access challenges are not confined to rural off-grid regions, they extend down agricultural value chains to on-grid urban markets where larger processors prepare output that is ready for wholesale or export markets.

As one of the first of its kind to explore the agriculture/energy nexus beyond village scale productive uses, this study:

•Describes tools that can be used to evaluate agricultural processes along the entire value chain continuum from small off-grid processors in the village to large on-grid urban factories.

•Combines existing best practice, geospatial data, on-ground surveys and market information to evaluate the energy needs, value addition and practical characteristics of processing steps along three economically significant value chains in Myanmar; rice, cotton and BPO (beans, pulses and oilseeds).

•Outlines opportunities to strategically invest in improving energy access along value chains to increase the value captured by rural farmers, boost processor productivity and strengthen this nationally vital sector.

Abridged versions of the report in English and Myanmar language are here and here.

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