In Myanmar, almost half of the rural population is said to be landless : it is the highest rate of landlessness in the Mekong region. With agriculture as the engine of Myanmar’s economy, employing more than two thirds of the population and accounting for one third of GDP, various studies in Myanmar provide contrasting figures on landlessness and indicate that the problem stems from a lack of clarity in the concept of landlessness. This policy brief is based from research mainly conducted in the Delta and Dry Zone, it argues that the first step to addressing landlessness is to understand the current diversity of landless households. This will offer insight into the causes of landlessness and people’s needs in terms of land access and livelihood improvement.
