Irrawaddy Farmers Still Short of Buffaloes, Oxen

RANGOON — Nearly 18 months after Cyclone Nargis, farmers in the devastated Irrawaddy delta are still in great need of buffaloes and oxen to help them till their rice paddies.

The cyclone in May 2008 killed large numbers of draught animals, depriving farmers of an essential means of reestablishing their shattered livelihoods.

A farmer carries rice seedlings to plant in rain-fed rice field in August, in Dalla, about 20 kilometers (13 miles) south of Rangoon. (Photo: AP)

“Farmers are still in need of many more draught animals,” said an official from the United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). “So far, what we've provided is just 2-3 percent of the total loss of draught animals."

According to the government's figures, nearly 300,000 buffaloes and cattle, or 50 percent of the total number of draught animals in the storm-hit area, were lost in Cyclone Nargis.

The category 4 storm that struck Rangoon and the Irrawaddy delta left nearly 140,000 people dead and disrupted the lives of more than 2 million.

International agencies and the Burmese government have responded to the need for draught animals by also providing mechanical tillers, but most farmers prefer buffaloes and oxen to work their fields.

In an effort to provide more buffaloes, the government established two breeding centers six months ago in Labutta Township, one of the hardest-hit areas. Each center is expected to produce 500 buffaloes a year.

It will take two years before the centers are able to provide adult buffaloes for working the rice paddies, according to an official from the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department.

“These centers will not be able to solve immediate needs,” the official said, “But, they will be valuable in the long run.”

Many agriculturalists say most farmers are more accustomed to working with draught animals than with mechanical equipment, and for this reason preference should be given to providing them with buffaloes and oxen. Draught animals are also used for local transport and play an important role in village economies.

“Draught animals are also one of the sources of household income,” said an official from the Myanmar (Burma) Livestock Federation.

The animals have a cash value and cost far less to employ in the fields and to maintain than mechanical equipment

"While the cost of using draught animals is very low, mechanical tillers require fuel and regular maintenance,” said an official from the international aid organization ACTED.