Community perceptions of the economic impacts of Myanmar’s health and political crises: Insights from the National COVID-19 Community Survey – September 2021

Myanmar Agriculture Support Activity (MAPSA). 2021. Community perceptions of the economic impacts of Myanmar’s health and political crises: Insights from the National COVID-19 Community Survey – September 2021. Myanmar SSP Research 70. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134850.

Key findings ▪ Ninety-two percent of urban communities and 90 percent of rural communities experienced a decline in income of at least 20 percent compared to a year before due to lower income from both non-farm employment and crop farming. ▪ Compared to data collected in 2020 survey rounds, we see a shift towards reduction in food expenditures and selling agricultural and non-agricultural assets in 2021. Fifty-four percent of communities reduced food expenditure to cope with declining income in September 2021, compared to 17 percent in September 2020. ▪ Twenty-seven percent of communities experienced closed banks and 12 percent of communities reported cash shortage at their local ATMs.