LIFT IN MYANMAR

In the Global Humanitarian Overview, 2025, the UN estimates that approximately one-third of Myanmar’s population—almost 20 million people—require assistance to lead a decent and safe life.

As the largest development actor in the country, the Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT) addresses structural drivers of poverty and food insecurity through diverse, locally anchored programmes.

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Focus

Agriculture
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Decent Work and Labour Mobility
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Financial Inclusion
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Nutrition
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Where We Work

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Others

Ayeyarwady

Population: 6,2 million

LIFT budget 2019-23 (actual plus forecast): USD 70,3 million 

Total contracted projects: 55

Focus: LIFT aims to increase farmers’ incomes, their labour productivity, and capability to adapt to climate change. LIFT supports inclusiveness in Myanmar’s rural transformation and strengthen resilience of poor rural households by introducing maternal cash transfers and behaviour change for improved nutrition; improved hygiene, supporting economic activities; informing effective policy and public expenditure decisions; improving agriculture and livestock production processes; and introducing small grant opportunities to township-level civil society organisations.

 
Nay Pyi Taw

Population: 1,2 million

LIFT budget 2019-23 (actual plus forecast): USD 578,000

Total contracted projects: 1

Focus: LIFT holds workshops, events and conferences, and works to strengthen its capacity for policy engagement with the Government of Myanmar in Nay Pyi Taw.
Magway

Population: 3,9 million

LIFT budget 2019-23 (actual plus forecast): USD 27,5 million

Total contracted projects: 22

Focus: LIFT supports inclusiveness in Myanmar’s rural transformation and strengthens resilience of poor rural households by introducing maternal cash transfers and behaviour change for improved nutrition; improved hygiene in villages, supporting economic activities to improve the rural economy; informing effective policy and public expenditure decisions; improving agriculture and livestock production processes; and introducing small grant opportunities to township-level civil society organisations.
Mandalay

Population: 6,2 million

LIFT budget 2019-23 (actual plus forecast): USD 31,2 million

Total contracted projects: 24

Focus: LIFT supports inclusiveness in Myanmar’s rural transformation and strengthens resilience of poor rural households by introducing maternal cash transfers and behaviour change for improved nutrition; improved hygiene in villages, supporting economic activities to improve the rural economy; informing effective policy and public expenditure decisions; improving agriculture and livestock production processes; and introducing small grant opportunities to township-level civil society organisations.
Bago East

Population: 4,9 million (all Bago)

LIFT budget 2019-23 (actual plus forecast): USD 1,4 million

Total contracted projects: 4 

Focus: LIFT aims to increase farmers’ incomes, their labour productivity, and capability to adapt to climate change. LIFT supports inclusiveness in Myanmar’s rural transformation and strengthen resilience of poor rural households by introducing maternal cash transfers and behaviour change for improved nutrition; improved hygiene, supporting economic activities; informing effective policy and public expenditure decisions; improving agriculture and livestock production processes; and introducing small grant opportunities to township-level civil society organisations.
Bago West

Population: 4,9 million (all Bago)

LIFT budget 2019-23 (actual plus forecast): USD 3.6 million

Total contracted projects: 5 

Focus: LIFT aims to increase farmers’ incomes, their labour productivity, and capability to adapt to climate change. LIFT supports inclusiveness in Myanmar’s rural transformation and strengthen resilience of poor rural households by introducing maternal cash transfers and behaviour change for improved nutrition; improved hygiene, supporting economic activities; informing effective policy and public expenditure decisions; improving agriculture and livestock production processes; and introducing small grant opportunities to township-level civil society organisations.
Kayah

Population: 287,000

LIFT budget 2019-23 (actual plus forecast): USD 10,3 million

Total contracted projects: 7

Focus: LIFT focuses on supporting Government-led maternal and child cash transfers (MCCT) with social behaviour change communication (SBCC) for nutrition approaches. LIFT promotes resilient livelihoods for food and nutrition security with interventions focusing on climate change, forestry, land rights, internally displaced persons, natural resource governance and livelihoods for the most vulnerable.
Kayin

Population: 1,6 million

LIFT budget 2019-23 (actual plus forecast): USD 19,4 million

Total contracted projects: 13

Focus: LIFT focuses on supporting Government-led maternal and child cash transfers (MCCT) with social behaviour change communication (SBCC) for nutrition approaches. LIFT promotes resilient livelihoods for food and nutrition security with interventions focusing on climate change, forestry, land rights, internally displaced persons, natural resource governance and livelihoods for the most vulnerable.
Mon

Population: 2 million

LIFT budget 2019-23 (actual plus forecast): USD 5,5 million

Total contracted projects: 5

Focus: LIFT aims to increase farmers’ incomes, their labour productivity, and capability to adapt to climate change. LIFT supports inclusiveness in Myanmar’s rural transformation and strengthen resilience of poor rural households by introducing maternal cash transfers and behaviour change for improved nutrition; improved hygiene, supporting economic activities; informing effective policy and public expenditure decisions; improving agriculture and livestock production processes; and introducing small grant opportunities to township-level civil society organisations.
Shan (South)

Population: 5,8 million (all Shan)

LIFT budget 2019-23 (actual plus forecast): USD 7,7 million

Total contracted projects: 9

Focus: LIFT works to strengthen local resources in the area of agro-ecological and local development initiatives and supports sub-national planning workshops.
Sagaing

Population: 5,3 million

LIFT budget 2019-23 (actual plus forecast): USD 8,1 million

Total contracted projects: 11

Focus: LIFT works to improve people's economic resilience through microfinance loans and on supporting people’s mobility and independence through distributing assisted devices.
Tanintharyi

Population: 1,4 million

LIFT budget 2019-23 (actual plus forecast): USD 6,4 million

Total contracted projects: 6 

Focus: support inclusiveness in Myanmar’s rural transformation and strengthen resilience of poor rural households by introducing maternal cash transfers and behaviour change for improved nutrition; improved hygiene in villages, supporting economic activities to improve the rural economy; informing effective policy and public expenditure decisions; improving agriculture and livestock production processes; and introducing small grant opportunities to township-level civil society organisations.
Shan (East)

Population: 5,8 million (all Shan)

LIFT budget 2019-23 (actual plus forecast): USD 1,5 million

Total contracted projects: 2

Focus: LIFT supports trafficking survivors through shelter services.

 

Impact

People reached by LIFT support
Broad geographic coverage across the country by reaching (80 percent of Myanmar's townships) 
People served by LIFT-funded microfinance institutions (91 per cent women) 
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