Nay Pyi Taw – The following is a translation of the message sent by Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Senior General Than Shwe on the occasion of the Peasants Day (2010).Esteemed peasantry,
The Union of Myanmar has been traditionally engaged in agricultural farming since the times of our forefathers to fulfil the basic needs of food and clothing of its people. As a gesture of honouring the role of the peasantry, the Peasants Day is designated in the Union of Myanmar. On this auspicious occasion of the Peasants Day (2010), I wish you the peasantry physical and mental well-being and greater success in the agricultural farming.

In its bid to shape the nation into a peaceful, modern and developed one, the State Peace and Development Council is well convinced that only when the living conditions of the peasantry have improved, will it be possible for the whole nation to enjoy economic growth. Therefore, “Development of agriculture as the base and all-round development of other sectors of the economy as well” is the highest in the economic objectives of the State.

In addition, the council has been working hard for ensuring better transport, supply of adequate irrigation water and potable water, improvement of education standard, better health care, and rural economic development in pursuance of the Rural Development Project designed for greater development of rural areas, home to the peasantry.

In order to scale up the development momentum of the agricultural sector, the government has given assistance in various sectors and taken measures such as reclamation of vacant lands, providing advanced agricultural methods and fertilizers for boosting per acre yields of crops, supply of irrigation water to launch mixed- and multiple-cropping patterns, and designating the 10 major crops of the nation.

So far, the government has constructed 200 dams, 31 sluice gates, 322 river water pumping stations, 8001 tube-wells, and 658 small-scale rural dams, and the agricultural sector has made significant progress, as a result. Every year, the nation has put over 20 million acres of land under monsoon and summer paddy, producing over 1500 million baskets of paddy annually. Now, the nation’s rice supply has far exceeded the demand of the growing population. And regions concerned have achieved great success in growing such major crops as corn, black gram, green gram, pigeon pea, groundnut, sesame, sun-flower, long staple cotton and sugarcane, thus increasing the nation’s total sown acreage to 33.33 million, and utilization of farmlands, to 171.1 per cent.

The rapid development in the agricultural sector suggests that it is highly required to transform the nation from conventional into mechanized farming. Many new plans are now ongoing for the State-owned and privateowned industries to boosting production of farming machinery and tools. Therefore, I would like to urge you the peasantry to work harder than ever for your better socio-economic life.

Esteemed peasantry,
Now, the government, the people and the Tatmadaw are implementing the State’s seven-step Road Map in concert. This year, elections will be held to elect members of parliament in accordance with the State Constitution of the Union of Myanmar, which has been approved with the massive support of the public. The role you the peasantry have played in the Myanmar politics is very important. So, you have to elect representatives capable of building a peaceful, modern and developed nation and exercising the democracy correctly. You also have to ward off potential dangers of those who will disrupt State stability and community peace with assistance of aliens in the background.

In conclusion, I would like to call on you the peasantry to do your bit in the drive for emergence of a peaceful, modern and developed nation. – MNA