CHANGES OF RICE PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN AYEYARWADDY DELTA OF MYANMAR: A CASE STUDY IN MAWLAMYINEGYUNN TOWNSHIP

This study aimed to investigate the changes of rice production system between 2000 and 2018 in Mawlamyinegyunn Township, Ayeyarwaddy delta. A total of 160 sample respondents were selected from four sample villages by using purposive random sampling method in October 2018. The collected data were agronomic practices, use of family and hired labours and yields, etc. Secondary data such as climatic data, rice sown area and yields of 10 years were collected from Department of Agriculture (DOA). These results indicated that total farm size and rice growing area were not significantly changed between 2000 and 2018. It was found that the machines were widely used in land preparation in 2018 instead of using animal drawn implements in 2000. Rice varietal changes were found in 2018 wet season. Moreover, the respondents changed to use certified seeds from farm saved seeds in dry season. Regarding with varietal information, most of the respondents received it from other farmers in 2000, while 50% of respondents changed to obtain it from DOA in 2018. The crop establishment method was not changed in both wet and dry seasons, and consequently increased in use of family (2 and 2 person ha-1 for wet (transplanting) and 1 and 2 person ha-1 (broadcasting) for dry seasons and hired labours (14 and 16 person ha-1) for wet and (1 and 2 person ha-1 ) for dry seasons. Not only applications of chemical fertilizers but also amount of fertilizers (18.9 N kg ha-1, 5.6 P kg ha-1 and 5.4 K kg ha-1) for wet and (113.3 N kg ha-1, 24.8 P kg ha-1 and 18.9 K kg ha-1 ) for dry seasons were increased in both seasons of 2018. Pest and diseases control was not practiced in 2000 but nearly 80% of respondents used agro-chemicals in 2018. Most of the respondents still did not practice weed control in wet season, however, 60% of the respondents changed to use chemical herbicides in dry season, 2018. Nearly all respondents changed to use combine harvester for dry season harvest, although manual harvesting method was still practiced in wet season. In wet season, half of the respondents threshed their harvested rice by cattle trampling and the rest used thresher in 2000, but in 2018, all of them changed to use mechanical thresher. Better price and good eating quality induced the changes of Paw San rice variety in place of Hnangar at wet season. Management practices were changed due to intervention of extension activities by DOA on utilization of quality seeds, split fertilizer applications, pesticide and herbicide applications. High demand on labour at peak season and scarcity of labour led to change from traditional method to mechanization in the study area