Whose Crops, at What Price? Agricultural Investment in Myanmar

After years of international isolation, Myanmar is liberalizing its economy and seeking to attract foreign investment. But while foreign investment can play an important role in developing the country’s agriculture sector, in the current environment of limited transparency and accountability, an increase in agribusiness investments poses serious risks to the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and others dependent on land. This paper looks at the current level and types of agribusiness investment into Myanmar, outlines potential risks to communities posed by these investments, and explores state regulation of outbound investments as a potential way to promote responsible business practices in the sector. The paper makes a series of recommendations to the Government of Myanmar, foreign governments with investment interests in Myanmar and businesses investing in or sourcing from Myanmar on improving scrutiny and monitoring of investments, tackling land rights abuses and ensuring that companies honour their responsibilities to respect human rights.