Myanmar is facing a rapidly growing food security crisis where 13.2 million people are already food insecure. Ongoing violence, economic crisis, recurrent climate-induced shocks, population displacement and COVID-19, among other factors, are disrupting the entire national food system. Against this backdrop, protecting the livelihoods of smallholder farmers to enable them to produce their own food is a frontline humanitarian response.  

With the support of the Central Emergency Response Fund, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) provided emergency assistance to 4 700 vulnerable farming households across six townships in Mon State during April 2022. Each beneficiary, including landless and seasonal workers as well as femaleheaded households,received a cash grant of MMK 170 000 (USD 95) to meet their immediate foodneeds and other basic expenses. Along with the cash grant, FAO trained 1 759 households in Chaungzon townshipon good agricultural practices and provided them with fertilizers, vegetable seeds and a nutrition guide. Additionally, to mitigate the risk of COVID-19, FAO provided information materials, hygiene items and face masks to all the beneficiary households.