LocationsGoat raising and pig rearing is empowering women in Myanmar’s Nyaung U Township
December 7, 2023
Women from low-income households in Nyaung Pin Thar in Nyaung U Township have been working together to raise pigs
UNDP is supporting women in Myanmar’s Nyaung U Township to establish their own community enterprises raising goats and pigs to sell, helping diversify families’ livelihoods and provide a reliable and sustainable income into the future.
The climate in this region of Myanmar is exceptionally dry, which causes persistent challenges for farmers who struggle with low yields among a limited selection of crops that can only be harvested once a year.
Myanmar’s political crisis and economic instability have exacerbated these issues. Not only are the prices of everyday essentials such as food and fuel rising, but the costs of agricultural inputs have also increased, making it increasingly difficult to maintain a reliable living farming.
When UNDP spoke with women from low-income households about the support they wanted, livestock raising emerged as a viable and time-efficient alternative for Nyaung U residents.
Communities grazing goats together
In Hta Naung Win village, not far from the famous temples of Bagan, UNDP selected two groups of women who were trained in how to raise and vaccinate goats, construct shelters, do bookkeeping, and make blocks for the goats lick to gain essential minerals and nutrients. They were then given three female goats each, which they looked after for around ten months before selling for approximately 120,000 Myanmar kyats ($56) each.
Daw Phyu Khine cleans her goat enclosure
The women do not just earn an income from the goats either. They use the goats’ manure to help fertilize their farms and grow food to eat, and they sell the seeds from the goat droppings of the plums they forage. Their earnings also increase if they get pregnant and give birth, which happened with Daw Phyu Khine’s goats.
"Starting with three goats, one of them blessed us with offspring within four months. Now, both of my other female goats are currently pregnant, so soon I will have a total of six," she said.
Daw Phyu Khine herds the group’s goats in their village
The women collaborate and support each other to raise the goats as efficiently as possible.
"We coordinate our efforts, aligning routines and schedules to care for the goats. Each of us takes turns grazing them, with shifts lasting two to three days before passing the responsibility to the next member. This rotation system saves considerable time and effort, and shows the benefits of working together," said Daw Tin Mar Win.
This initiative has helped bring women-led enterprises to a village where the concept did not exist.
"My husband worked as a laborer producing palm juice and jaggery, and I just assisted him. Our livelihood hinged solely upon [this], leaving us with earnings only during the harvest periods. Outside of that, maintaining a steady income was an uphill battle," said Daw Phyu Khine.
Tin Mar Win receives training about livestock health and wellbeing
Daw Tin Mar Win, who lives with six others in her household, found occasional work as a day laborer during harvest season, but a stable job has been hard to come by.
"UNDP's support has been a lifeline, providing me with a reliable job and income," she said.
"I had no experience with goats and lacked confidence. UNDP's training boosted my confidence and taught me how to start my goat farm."
She’s already beginning to share what she has learned with her children, passing on the skills to the next generation.
The women who raise goats together in Hta Naung Win village
Rearing pigs for market
In Nyaung Pin Thar village, UNDP worked with another group of women to support them in raising pigs.
We gave each household a piglet that was already vaccinated to ensure it could grow healthy and large, top-quality grain feed and the know-how to effectively fatten them for sale, including understanding dietary needs and how to monitor their health. UNDP also supplies a veterinary service the women can call on if their livestock falls ill.
After six or seven months, the pigs are ready to sell, earning each woman a substantial profit they can reinvest and use to support their families.
Daw Khin Cho Win with her fully grown pig
"I successfully sold a pig, earning a profit. This money allowed me to purchase another piglet and further invest in our family business," said Daw Khin Cho Win, who also prepares and sells traditional Myanmar food in the village.
"The earnings from the pig sale exceeded 600,000 Myanmar kyats, while the new piglet cost just 120,000 kyats."
Daw Tin Thein, 70, with her piglet
Seventy-year-old Daw Tin Thein is the oldest woman in the group. Both her children have left the village to work in Mandalay and Yangon, leaving behind a grandson who she cares for.
"Before the pig raising, our family's survival depended solely on monthly remittances from my daughter. But this wasn't enough," she said.
"UNDP’s support to raise pigs has been a lifesaver. It's alleviated many of the struggles I faced. With their assistance, I successfully raised my first pig, sold her, and turned a profit. This money not only allowed me to put food on the table but also contributed to my grandchild's education fund.
"I reinvested some money to buy another piglet, and now I'm loyally caring for it to forge a better future for my family and my beloved grandson."
Daw Tin Thein struggles with some of the more demanding tasks, such as preparing the grain and changing the drinking water, but the women’s group works together to help her.
"At my age, these responsibilities can feel quite burdensome. I'm incredibly fortunate to have the support of my kind-hearted neighbors and fellow members of our group. Thanks to their assistance, my pig is in excellent health," she said.
These activities are part of the ENCORE project's Start-up Livelihood Activities for Women. ENCORE has reached over 750,000 people across Bago, Kachin, Kayin, Mandalay, Magway, Mon, Shan and Tanintharyi states and regions.
