(The following is a translation of the message sent by Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar to the Peasants Day 2005).
Esteemed peasantry,
Today, the 2nd of March, is designated as the Peasants Day in honour of the Myanmar peasantry, one of the major national forces of the Union of Myanmar. On this auspicious day, I wish all the peasants good health, physical as well as mental, wealth and success in all their farming industry.
The State Peace and Development Council has been making ardent efforts for the Union of Myanmar to be on a par with other nations of the world, for the entire national people to be able to enjoy higher living standard and for the emergence of a peaceful, modern, developed and discipline-flourishing democracy.
Strong national economy plays a fundamental role in realizing the above-mentioned goals and, in the same way, development of agriculture plays a pivotal role in making the national economy strong.
The agriculture sector is an important economic sector that fulfils food for the entire national people, enhances their socio-economic life and paves the way for rural development.
This being the case, the government has laid down the national economic policy based on agriculture that paves the way for the development of the State economy and strives with special emphasis for the advancement of agriculture sector.
For development of the agriculture sector, various measures such as exploration of terrestrial and aquatic resources, use of machinery and extension of sown acreage are being taken.
Moreover, the government is rendering assistance to the peasants so that they can boost the production and raise the quality of crops with the use of quality strains, organic and bio fertilizers and application of agricultural technologies. Sufficient water supply is essential for the development of the agriculture sector. Therefore, the government is spending large sums of money on dams, sluice gates, river water pumping stations and underground water supply projects in the entire nation.
Since 1988 a total of 171 dams has been built at a cost of 89.4 billion kyats. All these dams are now irrigating more than 2.3 million acres of farmland. Thirty-six more dams are under construction.
In addition, there are 271 river water pumping stations across the nation and they are benefiting more than 0.3 million acres of farmland.
It was due to the government’s efforts to supply sufficient water for agricultural purpose, to put fallow and virgin land and wetlands under various crops, to introduce highland cultivation, to expand double crops and mixed crops, the area under cultivation has increased including summer paddy that can now be carried out the whole year round. The capacity of crop cultivation has increased 151 per cent and the total sown acreage has reached 41.3 million.
To make full use of increased acreage of farmland, it has become necessary to shift to mechanized farming. Therefore, necessary steps are being taken so that the State sector and the private sector can mass-produce agricultural machinery.
Moreover, the government is implementing the five rural development tasks for education, health, economic and social development of rural people.
At a time when the government is making special efforts for the development of the agriculture sector and for all-round development of rural areas where the entire peasants live, the peasants, on their part, are required to strive for enhancement of their socio-economic life and for realization of the production targets of the agricultural sector.
Esteemed peasantry,
Standing firmly on its national policy of non-disintegration of the Union, non-disintegration of national solidarity and perpetuation of sovereignty, the State Peace and Development Council is working hard for peace and stability, the rule of law and further consolidation of national unity.
Moreover, it is holding the National Convention, the very first and most important step of the seven-point policy programme for the future of the State in order that a peaceful, modern, developed and discipline-flourishing democracy will emerge in accordance with the wishes of the people.
Now, delegates of peasants, together with other delegates, are carrying out the national duty by taking part in the discussions of the National Convention on the basic principles to be based on in drafting the State Constitution.
In conclusion, I would like to call on the entire peasantry earnestly to work hand in hand with the national people for the Union of Myanmar to be able to stand proudly in the world, for peace and development, for the emergence of an enduring constitution, for development of the agriculture sector, the main pillar of the national economy, and for successful realization of the seven-point policy programme of the future of the State.