Thazi Township is located in Mandalay Division in the eastern part of the central Dry Zone of Myanmar. Villages in the western plain of Thazi Township fall into two different livelihood zones, depending on access to formal irrigation schemes.
The irrigated villages have access to the schemes and in years with adequate water availability can grow multiple seasons of crops on their land. However, they are quite restricted in the crops that they are allowed to grow on irrigated land (paddy rice and cotton). The rainfed villages are more dependent on rainfall, but have more flexibility in terms of the crops that they grow. The irrigated and rainfed villages are often next to each other, so market access in both zones is similar. This profile outlines the livelihood patterns in the rainfed villages where Oxfam works.
The information presented refers to December 2010-November 2011, an average year for food security by local standards. Provided there are no fundamental and rapid shifts in the economy, the information in this profile is expected to remain valid for at least five years (i.e. until at least 2016).