Published in Proximity Field Notes·May 19, 2020We’re Reinventing Ourselves to Help Farmers Through the PandemicAmid so much uncertainty, supporting those who grow Myanmar’s food has never been more important. The past few weeks have seen Myanmar’s farmers hit with falling prices, border closures and uncertain markets as the pandemic ravages economies worldwide. …Covid 195 min readCovid 195 min read
Published in Proximity Field Notes·Apr 11, 2020As Rural Myanmar Adapts to the Covid-19 Crisis, Understanding Farmers’ Needs is VitalWhy tomato growers are harder hit than rice farmers, and social distancing can be more difficult in the Dry Zone. As the Covid-19 pandemic began to make itself felt in Myanmar last month, people in rural areas sprung into action. …Covid 195 min readCovid 195 min read
Published in Proximity Field Notes·Mar 10, 2020How Better Loans Help Myanmar’s Entrepreneurial Farmers Branch OutA husband and wife struggled to save money for a side business, then they found a loan tailored to their needs. Kan Ywar village in Myanmar’s Central Dry Zone is mostly serene and quiet. Roosters crow, bulls grunt, and cart wheels creak — occasionally, an engine somewhere putters. If it…Customer Stories3 min readCustomer Stories3 min read
Published in Proximity Field Notes·Feb 6, 2020The Facebook Farmers: How Social Media is Modernizing Agriculture in a Tech-Starved Myanmar VillageTwo brothers-in-law were at the mercy of unpredictable rainfall until they found a community of forward-thinking farmers online The farmland surrounding Khaing Taw Lay village in Magway region is a mismatched patchwork of different crops grown by a multitude of smallholders. Decades of economic isolation means hardworking families here have…Customer Stories4 min readCustomer Stories4 min read
Published in Proximity Field Notes·Oct 31, 2019A Behind-the-Scenes Look at How We Design Life-Changing Services for FarmersA Proximity staffer spent a week on the road with our research team to learn exactly what we mean when we say design research. The sound of a brass gong pierces the air, marking the end of breakfast and the start of a busy work day for our team of…Agriculture12 min readAgriculture12 min read
Published in Proximity Field Notes·Oct 21, 2019‘There’s Time to Care for My Sick Mom Now’ — How Our Farm Tech Eliminates Backbreaking LaborU Kyaw Hlaing once spent hours each day lugging water buckets in the hot sun, now irrigating his farm takes minutes U Kyaw Hlaing, 56, guava farmer “I’ve lived in Kyaung Gon village in the Irrawaddy Delta my whole life. Most people here are rice farmers. I share a house…Agriculture4 min readAgriculture4 min read
Published in Proximity Field Notes·Oct 18, 2019The Innovation IngredientFor us, innovation isn’t about the latest tech trend or industry buzzwords. It’s about designing affordable, high quality products for one of the world’s most underserved markets. Our first product was a simple treadle pump all the way back in 2004. Today we offer a portfolio of more than 20…Design2 min readDesign2 min read
Published in Proximity Field Notes·Oct 8, 2019Scaling up and Giving BackNew Head of Business Operations Thiri Yadana brings decades of brand building experience to Yetagon Irrigation. When it comes to building a brand, few in Myanmar have as much experience as Thiri Yadana. Her list of achievements includes turning a little-known foreign toothpaste brand into a household name and establishing…Sales3 min readSales3 min read
Published in Proximity Field Notes·Sep 16, 2019Women in ChargeProximity’s Farm Advisory Services is set to expand with two new leaders at the helm. Nang Seng Aye is passionate about soil. As one of just a handful of people in the country with a Ph.D. …Agriculture3 min readAgriculture3 min read
Published in Proximity Field Notes·Apr 4, 2019Financing Myanmar’s Smallholder Farmers With Patient CapitalWe’re sometimes asked why we work in farming. Why, of all the many things we could task ourselves with, did we choose the incomes of smallholder farmers? The answer is simple: If you want to help the people of Myanmar, farming is a pretty good place to start. Despite rapid…Agriculture5 min readAgriculture5 min read
