Organizing, Fighting & Winning against land grabs in Myanmar

The campaign against land grabs escalated across Myanmar following the resolution of the First Congress of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Federation of Myanmar (AFFM-IUF) giving priority to land rights and access to land as integral to winning food rights and a sustainable food system. 

In some townships AFFM-IUF members are already seeing progress. Nineteen union members in Ma U Bin Township  in Aye Yar Wady Division secured the return of farmland that was illegally confiscated a year go. Up to half of the land will be returned together with compensation. The fight for the return of the remaining land continues. 

The IUF joined AFFM in denouncing land grabs as a threat to farmers’ livelihoods and food rights, while the displacement of farmers and their communities has led to a proliferation in precarious agricultural employment on poverty wages.