The economic hardship attributed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the military coup in Myanmar has had a severe negative impact on small agricultural businesses in remote areas.
To help alleviate the hardship, Denmark has supported 25 small rice millers and paddy farmers in Kachin State with grants worth of MMK 920 million through the Responsible Business Fund RBF-Myanmar to help convert agricultural waste into biomass, the Embassy of Denmark in Myanmar informs.
Moreover, the Embassy states that with the use of Vertical Paddy Dryers, the millers and the farmers can now utilize 3000 tons of rice husk as fuel annually. Previously, the rice husks were dumped in open spaces or into nearby streams or rivers, causing respiratory problems or blockage to the waterways.
The project not only helps improve the income of the farmers and the rice millers by reducing the cost of fuels but also helps reduce the risk of health and environmental hazards to the people living near the dumpsites.
