The Burma War’s Impact on Food Production

Antonio Graceffo

When asked about how the war is affecting food security, Marco Brun del Re, Technical Advisor at Earth Mission Asia’s Natural Farm School, responded bluntly: “They’re just bombing the farms. And they’re killing farmers.” He went on to explain that while a range of factors are negatively affecting food production, direct attacks on farmers by the Myanmar military remain one of the most blatant and immediate threats.

Dr. Ashley South of Chiang Mai University and Mon National College, a respected author on Burma-related issues, similarly emphasized the broader structural impact of military rule. He noted that “the centralized military state impacts negatively on agriculture in a number of ways, including through top-down policies set by [the] NPD, and more immediately through predatory and violent actions of the Myanmar military, which often targets civilian communities, including at harvest times.”

A February 2026 investigation by Fortify Rights found that the Myanmar military junta carried out systematic attacks on farmers in Karenni State and along the Karenni–Shan border during the 2025 harvest season, targeting civilians, farmland, and food systems. Based on interviews with survivors and officials, the report documents drone strikes, artillery shelling, arbitrary detention, and torture. These attacks disrupted agricultural production at critical stages, forcing many farmers to flee and leaving crops unharvested, which has worsened food insecurity in an already fragile region.

Multiple testimonies describe severe injuries and deaths caused by aerial and artillery attacks. Farmers reported being bombed while working in rice fields, with some losing limbs and others left permanently disabled. Survivors and their families have since been displaced, often unable to return to their land due to ongoing violence. The attacks have not only caused immediate casualties but have also destroyed livelihoods, leaving families dependent on aid while facing long-term uncertainty about food and income.

The investigation also details arrests and torture of farmers accused of supporting resistance groups. Detainees described beatings, suffocation, electric shocks, and threats of execution. Some individuals remain missing, raising concerns of enforced disappearance. Survivors said soldiers warned them not to return to their fields, reinforcing a climate of fear that has further reduced agricultural activity and deepened the humanitarian crisis.

Local officials reported that widespread displacement and continued fighting have prevented farmers from harvesting crops across key agricultural areas, particularly around Mobye. Landmines and repeated attacks have rendered farmland unsafe, while more than 150,000 people have been displaced into hundreds of camps. As a result, the region faces a growing risk of severe food shortages in the coming year.

Brun del Re described the crisis confronting farmers in Burma as complex and worsening. He explained that, apart from the direct impact of war, farmers are dealing with a combination of environmental disruption and ecological change. “The reason for the challenges the farmers are facing, is multifaceted,” he said, noting that even the climate itself has become unpredictable. Monsoon rains last year were unusually heavy and “ended up washing away a lot of the crop,” leaving farmers struggling to recover.

He added that weather patterns have become increasingly erratic, creating conditions that local farmers are not accustomed to managing. At the same time, pest infestations are rising as traditional pest-control methods fail. Brun del Re attributed this to deeper ecological disruption, explaining that natural predators are disappearing, likely due to food shortages and broader environmental imbalance. While he noted that some of these dynamics remain under study, he emphasized that the overall farmers are dealing with mounting pressure from both climate instability and ecological change.

Infrastructure and geography further complicate survival. Karen State’s terrain and road networks were historically shaped to resist military incursions, but this also makes access to markets extremely difficult. As a result, villagers often pay double for goods by the time they reach remote areas, while receiving only half the value for what they sell. Brun del Re explained that rice or vegetables lose much of their value along the supply chain, creating a severe economic imbalance. “There’s a real issue in terms of supply chain inside of the country,” he said, emphasizing how isolation undermines both income and food security.

Efforts are underway to introduce alternative sources of income, including coffee, cacao, tea, and other cash crops. However, Brun del Re stressed that limited access to international markets restricts these opportunities. Karen State has some advantage due to its porous border with Thailand and the relative stability provided by the Karen National Union, allowing limited trade routes to function. Other regions, such as Chin and Kachin States, face far greater barriers due to their borders with India and China, making market access even more constrained.

Despite these hardships, Brun del Re highlighted the resilience of Karen communities. As subsistence farmers, they are skilled at producing their own food and possess what he described as “an encyclopedic knowledge of edible and usable species within the forest environment.” This allows them to survive even in difficult conditions. However, he emphasized that their reliance on rice remains a critical vulnerability. “If they don’t have rice, then there’s basically no food,” he said, explaining that rice is central to both diet and the energy required for labor-intensive farming.

When rice harvests fail due to weather, pests, or conflict, communities must rely on markets to make up the deficit. Yet the same supply-chain disruptions that limit income also make rice more expensive and harder to obtain. With few crops to sell, locals have little money to purchase food. This creates a dangerous cycle in which shortages are compounded by lack of access.