Abstract

This qualitative study examines why smallholder farmers in Myanmar’s Delta region remain poor despite producing one of the country’s most essential food crops. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with farmers, local leaders, traders, millers, community-based and non-governmental organization practitioners, and agricultural experts, the study argues that smallholder poverty is produced through structurally unequal agricultural value chains rather than individual deficiency. Thematic analysis of fourteen respondent entries shows that rising production costs, chronic debt dependency, weak post-harvest infrastructure, limited bargaining power, gendered invisibility, land fragmentation, and inconsistent policy implementation combine to constrain farmer welfare. Findings indicate that market access does not translate into market power when farmers lack storage, drying capacity, and the ability to delay sale. The study concludes that improving smallholder livelihoods requires coordinated reform across credit, infrastructure, land policy, cooperative development, and institutional accountability rather than credit expansion alone.