A five-year plan has been developed to eliminate opium and develop rural areas in northern Shan state, claimed government officials from the Ministry of Border Affairs (MoBA).
This project will be implemented with cooperation from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
U Ohn Myint, director of MoBA, said, “This project will be implemented in the Wa self-governing region. Data collection has already begun and the project will begin once data is collected.
“The main purpose is to improve the agricultural business raise the quality of life. We will give priority to local people who want to grow alternative crops and raise animals in Opium growing regions.”
A memorandum of understanding was signed in March 2014 to implement this project.