PRESS RELEASE

THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT’S GRASSROOTS GRANT ASSISTANCE FOR

"CONSTRUCTION OF FARM MACHINERY REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE WORKSHOPS IN LAPATTA

TOWNSHIP, AYEYAWADY DIVISION "

The Government of Japan, under the Japan’s Grassroots Grant Assistance (GGA) Scheme, will provide a grant aid of US$ 93,979to “Farm Machinery Repair and Maintenance Committee” for construction of farm machinery repair and maintenance workshops at 7 villages in Laputta Township, Ayeyawady Division.

The villages were hit by the Cyclone Nargis on May 2 and 3, 2008 and it destroyed much of the livestock population, including expensive draught animals. After the Cyclone Nargis, Non Governmental Organizations and international organizations donated 3732 power tillers in Laputta township. Nowadays, farmers living in the above mentioned township owned power tillers and farm implements. But there are no facilities to repair and maintain their farm machinery and repair workshops at the villages. Whenever they encounter the problem of breakdown of power tillers, they have to go to the market in a far away town by boat or on foot for searching for some spare parts and repair workshops.

In order to provide a facilities to repair and maintenance farm machinery those farmers, the Government of Japan under the GGA Programme will provide funding for construction of 7 farm machinery repair and maintenance workshops furnished with repair and maintenance equipment. It is expected that this assistance will contribute to all-round development of the area, thereby further strengthening traditional friendship between Japan and Myanmar.

The Grant Contract to this effect was signed on 17 February 2010 at the Embassy of Japan in Yangon, between Mr. Kazuyuki Takeuchi, Minister/Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan in Yangon, Of Myanmar, and U Hla Yi, Chairman of “Farm Machinery Repair and Maintenance Committee”.

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