Myanmar Agri-Tech Ltd., a member of SPA/FMI Group Of Companies incorporated on the 12th December 2006, is a leading player in the production, processing and marketing of Jatropha Curcas (JC) seeds in Myanmar as a Biofuel crop.

Since its incorporation on the 12th December, 2006 the company has achieved many milestones.

• It has established a JC nursery producing high quality seeds both for its own plantation requirement at Maw Tin as well as overseas markets.
• It has established a world class model for a JC plantation at Maw Tin – totaling 100,000 Acres including Infrastructure planning and development.
• It has collaborated research activities with the internationally renowned institutes like University of Sichuan Life Science Department.
• It has established trading centers and warehouse facilities to assist farmers to market JC seeds with nearby market and quick payment through MAGT and its network in each location where the trading centers are located.
• The next stage of development on the planting side is to introduce contract farming with the view to increase the qualitative and quantitative aspects of farmer’s JC corps hence their productivity and income.

From Seed to Oil
MAGT in collaboration with Enertech of Korea, the Leading producer of Biofuel in Korea has successfully demonstrated the use of refined bio diesel using Myanmar JC seeds on the 5th of November 2008 on Trucks, 4-Wheel Drive, Bus and Generators. With this demonstration and the accreditation by the Korean Institute of Petroleum Quality, MAGT has completed the Jatropha supply chain from seed to oil.

Speaker Profile
Hishamuddin Koh holds a BSc Degree in Agriculture from Nottingham University U.K. and a Master’s Degree in Agriculture Economics and Marketing from the University of Toronto, Canada. Hishamuddin is a man with a passion for rural development especially in the area of eradication of rural poverty, using agriculture as an accelerator.

Mr Koh has spent 18 years in Myanmar, involving in consultancy and advisory works as a freelance Business Development Consultant, promoting and serving investor from both local and international organizations. He has also worked very closely with the Ministry of Agriculture And Irrigation Of Myanmar, particularly the Myanmar capital Agriculture Service, Myanmar Farm Enterprise as well as Myanmar Perennial Corps Enterprise.

In August 2005 his was invited by Mr Serge Pun, Chairman FMI/SPA Group Of Companies to spearhead the Development of their newly established Agriculture Division now known as Myanmar Agri-Tech Ltd. (MAGT) as Senior Consultant. In this capacity he has introduced and developed Jatropha Curcas as a major Bio Fuel crop for the company.

Prior to this, he was the first Asian Consultant to the Northern Territory Government of Australia. In his capacity as Asian Consultant he brought investment projects totaling over 200 Million Australian Dollars which contributed significantly to the rehabilitation and redevelopment to Darwin city after the Cyclone Tracy in 1974.

He previously held the position of Director of Industrial Development and Research in the Ministry Of Industrial Development Sabah with a task of eradicating rural poverty and restructuring society.

Overview of presentation

Practitioner Roundtable – Myanmar
Day 1 [Mon 16, February], at 09:50 AM
This paper presents a systematic development of a model Jatropha plantation carried out by Myanmar Agri-Tech Ltd., a member of Serge Pun and Associates and First Myanmar Investment Group of Companies.  The company is progressively developing 100,000 acres of land at Maw Tin, in Ayeyawaddy Division, Myanmar.

The overall activities of the plantation include land clearing, preparation, nursery establishment, a modern plantation office complex, staff and labour quarters specially designed for the project are discussed in the paper.  The plantation also introduced an on-job-on-site training programme for agricultural technicians and labour.

It has its own water supply system, a gasifier to supply the energy needs of the plantation, using paddy husk as biomass.

In addition to the plantation, the company has also established trading and warehousing  centres in (4) major Jatropha growing areas to  assist and educate farmers (small holders) in the marketing of their JC seeds based on a “Corporate-Smallholders Partnership” in Jatropha production and marketing.  Contract farming will also play a major in technology transfer, productivity and income raising of small holders.

The company has achieved its “seed to oil” programme hence fulfilling the complete supply chain of Jatropha, on the 5th Nov’08 using 4-wheel drive, trucks, pickups and generators.

Production Experience in Myanmar
Day 1 [Mon 16, February], at 03:35 PM
This paper describes the historical development of Jatropha as an emerging industry in Myanmar.  The accelerated development of Jatropha cultivation and the role played by the Government is highlighted.  The paper touches on the distribution of and acerage of the crop planted as well as the targets set by the instrumentality of Government’s policy is also highlighted.  To-date about 4 million acres have been planted in Myanmar since 2006 and the final target is 8 million acres by end of 2009.

Brief description of the Jatropha research program carried out by the Government is also mentioned.  The use of Jatropha as an accelerator of rural development and income is also highlighted.

Finally the objective and role played or to be played by Jatropha as a bio-fuel is discussed. 

JatrophaWorld 2009 Kuala Lumpur Speaker
Day 1 – Monday, February 16
09:50  MYANMAR
15:35  PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE IN MYANMAR

JATROPHAWORLD 2009 is a showcase of all the latest trends and shifts occurring in the Jatropha value chain, bringing together on a single platform, the best expertise to discuss and analyze the present and future dynamics of Jatropha from a technological and socio-economic angle. To find more about JatrophaWorld in Kuala Lumpur from February 16 to 17, 2009, please visit http://www.futureenergyevents.com/jatropha/