Myanmar’s urban harvest

“I am very happy that we are starting this kind of work.”

- Daw Khin Thit, Women's Mushroom Farming Group

The early morning sun catches the bent backs of women tending rows of straw mushrooms in a narrow urban plot in Thanmada Kan Chay Ward, in Yangon. It’s a scene of quiet industry. Beneath a canopy of thatched roofing and makeshift tarpaulin, their hands move with practiced care as they harvest delicate, pale grey straw mushrooms, a commodity in high demand. 

This farm is an example of how livelihood opportunities can make a difference to women in Myanmar amidst poverty and conflict. Many like Daw Khin Thit came to the city in search of a better life, only to find scarce opportunity. Mushroom cultivation offers a chance to break the circle of poverty by generating income, improving nutrition, building connections and fostering social support amongst community members and restoring underutilized land.  

Under the Urban Resilience Project (URP) UNDP has been working to strengthen livelihoods and enhance food security in these vulnerable communities with support from core UNDP resources and donor funding. 

The idea of mushroom farming came from the women themselves. Based on a proposal of 27 women’s groups the farms were established in empty spaces in Thanmada Kan Chay Ward, transforming former dumpsites.

“When they presented their proposal their main difficulty was technological challenges because they had never cultivated mushrooms before. Now they are requesting support from the project in terms of both technology and financial resources to help them start mushroom farms,” says Win Kyaw, Township Facilitator, URP. 

UNDP has provided comprehensive support including training, startup capital, and technical guidance. The goal is to equip vulnerable communities to adapt to escalating economic hardship and food insecurity in a county grappling with civil conflict and a fragile economy.

Rising poverty in Yangon 

A recent report on Urban Poverty in Yangon highlights the dramatic escalation of poverty within the last few years. In 2017, 10 percent of Yangon's urban population was poor. By 2023, this alarming figure had surged to 43 percent. Given Yangon's population of approximately 6.2 million, this translates to an increase of roughly 2 million people, with nearly 2.7 million people now living in poverty. The depth of urban poverty has increased sharply, rising from 2 percent in 2017 to 26 percent in 2023. This signifies that not only are more people in Yangon falling below the poverty line, but those who were already poor are now significantly further below it. 

The situation is particularly dire for those who migrated to Yangon after the 2021 military takeover. Many came with limited resources and without the documents needed for formal employment. While industrial zones have historically absorbed much of this labour migration, intense job competition, discriminatory hiring practices, and economic stagnation have left many struggling to secure stable work. Intense financial pressure often forces households into informal labour and debt.

“The long term goal of our project is to increase the income of women in this area by encouraging them to work together in groups.”

– Win Kyaw, Township Facilitator, Urban Resilience Project (URP)

Cultivating livelihoods and food security

Mushroom farming doesn’t require much land or start-up costs. Straw mushrooms, the most commonly cultivated variety, mature in just 10 to 15 days, and can be grown using readily available agricultural waste like rice straw and sawdust. Farmers can yield approximately 5 to 8 kilogrammes in the initial days, with similar harvests continuing for up to a week. 

“We are now seeing the second round of mushroom farming and the results have been good.  Some of the people involved in farming are already seeing the profits. The long term goal of our project is to increase the income of women in this area by encouraging them to work together in groups,” says Win Kyaw.

A nutritional powerhouse

Beyond their economic value, mushrooms offer significant nutritional benefits. Straw mushrooms (Volvariella volvacea) are a rich source of copper, potassium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, and calcium. They also contain substantial amounts of B vitamins and plant-based protein, especially when dried, with protein content reaches up to 42 percent. This makes them vital for households facing food insecurity. 

Building businesses and social fabric 

While the farmers acknowledge that mushroom farming alone cannot entirely meet all their families’ extensive needs, they view it as a crucial first step toward self-sufficiency.  

They refer to themselves as a business group. They share responsibilities, rotate tasks, and make collective decisions regarding sales and reinvestment. 

"In this area, I have seen some people growing straw mushrooms before," says Daw Khin Thit. "I attended the training and was very interested in joining this group. I am older now, and my children aren’t able to provide for me.

"Mushrooms grow quickly and fetch a good price," she says.

As of early 2025, almost 900 urban farmers have learned sustainable agriculture, including mushroom production and container gardening. Among these, 250 received small business grants. More than 4,000 people have benefited from the programme. Encouraged by their success, many of the women are now exploring complementary income-generating ventures. 

This may be only part of the solution to the crisis of poverty in Myanmar. But it’s a promising indicator of how, with sustained support and ingenuity, opportunity can sprout from the most unexpected places. 

*This article was originally published on the UNDP Myanmar website.