Business plan : the empire quality seed solutions

Abstract

Myanmar is an agricultural country for centuries and thriving as it is until nowadays. Although the milling sector and input sector became developed after mechanization, the seed sector is still performing as in the 1950s. Climate change is another factor affecting the crop routine of farmers, especially in the dry zone where there is poor irrigation system and low rainwater level. The objective of the study is to observe the current difficulties of farmers and their preferences on the type of seed and to discover the factors that can help to validate the business model. Quantitative approach questionnaires were used to investigate the 385 farmers in the dry zone who own less than 50 acres each. The study shows 88% of farmers believe sufficient water could make their yield increase and thus 92% of respondents want to use new robust seeds which need less water and fertilizer. If the seed has guaranteed sale price, 95% would love to cultivate despite the high seed cost. Since 43% of farmers used to get loan for their inputs, contract farming and direct selling from seed farm will be used as main channels of new seed distribution. Implication of the thematic paper: This study provides critical insights for the development of a resilient seed supply chain in Myanmar, emphasizing that risk-mitigation strategies such as guaranteed pricing and direct distribution channels are essential for the adoption of climate-smart agricultural inputs among smallholder farmers.