On 12 December, Finland, Germany and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Myanmar Country Programme have signed agreements for a total of 6.1 million euro to extend a develop program for farmers in Myanmar.
The first phase of the program ran from 2016 – 2018, while the second phase will run until December 2022.
Co-funded by Finland and Germany, the project’s objective is to help farmers in targeted communities to move to coffee production as a viable alternative to opium cultivation.
The communities are made up of 60 villages across three townships of Hopong, Loilen and Ywangan in southern Shan State.
In addition to supporting a legal economy and sustainable livelihoods, the project prioritizes environmental objectives through a reforestation program.
Simultaneously, it promotes gender equality through consistent inclusion of women in management roles.
