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

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.

Recommended actions

• Implement measures such as cash and food assistance as well as cash- and food-for-work schemes to limit the need to rely on negative coping mechanisms that jeopardize current and future income-generating opportunities, food security, and health.

• Avoid or minimize further disturbances in access to cash or loans, including disruptions that hamper access to microfinance services.