Sesame Value Chains for Rural Development in Burma

VCRD supports improved productivity and quality of raw sesame in the Central Dry Zone (CDZ) with the goal of increasing farmer income from sesame sold domestically and exported. The project uses a market systems approach, working with private sector firms to explore and capture diverse, high-quality export markets, and collaborating with lead farmers and farmer groups for diffusion of improved technologies. In 2018, the project coordinated with producers, private sector and local government to develop a new, seasonal warehousing system that enabled smallholders to prefinance and aggregate sesame in a temporary facility. With advertising, marketing and other services delivered by the new Sesame Farmer Development Association (SFDA), farmers no longer seek buyers themselves – rather, buyers come to the warehouse to source high-quality sesame, helping farmers earn better prices.