Mizzima-Apr 5
When asked about how the war is affecting food security, Marco Brun del Re, Technical Advisor at Earth Mission Asia’s Natural Farm School, responded bluntly: “They’re just bombing the farms. And they’re killing farmers.” He went on to explain that while a range of factors are negatively affecting food production, direct attacks on farmers by the Myanmar military remain one of the most blatant and immediate threats. Dr. Ashley South of Chiang Mai University and Mon National College, a respected author on Burma-related issues, similarly emphasized the broader structural impact of military rule. He noted that “the centralized military state impacts negatively on agriculture in a number of ways, including through top-down policies set by [the] NPD, and more immediately through predatory and violent actions of the Myanmar military, which often targets civilian communities, including at harvest times.” A February 2026 investigation by Fortify Rights found that the Myanmar military junta carried out systematic attacks on farmers in Karenni State and along the Karenni–Shan border during the 2025 harvest season, targeting civilians, farmland, and food systems. Based on interviews with survivors and officials, the report documents drone strikes, artillery shelling, arbitrary detention, and torture. These attacks disrupted agricultural production at critical stages, forcing many farmers to flee and leaving crops unharvested, which has worsened food insecurity in an already fragile region. Multiple testimonies describe severe injuries and deaths caused by aerial and artillery attacks. Farmers reported being bombed while working in rice fields, with some losing limbs and others left permanently disabled. Survivors and their families have since been displaced, often unable to return to their land due to ongoing violence. The attacks have not only caused immediate casualties but have also destroyed livelihoods, leaving families dependent on aid while facing long-term uncertainty about food and income. Read more at:
