FAO Myanmar has recently completed a project titled “Support for animal feeding strategies for improved livestock production” implemented in collaboration with the Livestock, Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD), of the Ministry of Agricultural, Livestock and Irrigation (MoALI). Over a three years implementation period (2014-2017), the project succeeded to achieve its objective and enhance technical, managerial and policy capacity to overcome critical gaps in the ability to develop animal feeding strategies. The technical support mainly targeted the government officials, private-sector parties, cooperatives and farmer groups, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), women and smallholder farmers.

With interventions at different levels, FAO through guidance and training enhanced abilities of key stakeholders to prepare and feed livestock balanced diets and to generate higher impact from feeding. To achieve its goal, the project, among the others, reviewed trends, opportunities and gaps of national, sub-national regional and international livestock sector and organized a number of capacity building trainings for the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD), University of Veterinary Science (UVS), veterinarians and extension workers. The training that familiarized participants with quality-control approaches and good-laboratory practices significantly contributed to enhancement of the government laboratory (LBVD and UVS) capacities for increasing feed quality and safety. The project also succeed to establish a database on feed resources and their nutritional quality for use in preparation of balanced diets.

Meanwhile, provided to private sector support had a pivotal role in the enhancement of the knowledge and skills for producing feed and feed supplements. The project also completed a draft of the Myanmar feed quality standards, as per international requirements, which is an important milestones that requires further actions.

Completed activities and positive results achieved by the project complemented FAO’s work towards sustainable food and nutrition security and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs - 1, 2, 10, 12,  and 15).