Farmers in Zayetkwin village in Ayeyarwady Division winnow the chaff from their harvest of monsoon paddy. Farmers are working to salvage as much paddy as possible from a harvest affected by cyclone Nargis.

SIX months after cyclone Nargis tore through lower Myanmar, it is clear that tremendous progress has been made by the government, NGOs and UN organisations in helping residents of the Ayeyarwady Delta to recover from the devastation.

But many locals in the region say they are bracing for a long march along the road to complete recovery, estimating that it will take many more months or even years before their lives return to normal.

With the majority of people in the delta working as farmers or fishermen, it is no surprise that these were two of the sectors hit hardest by the storm.

“Cyclone Nargis had a very strong effect on the fisheries business,” said U Than Oo, a fisherman from Bogale township. “Many fishermen died during the cyclone, and those who survived had to restart their business.”

“We faced a shortage of labour in the sector but many fishermen were able to get back to work and restore their livelihoods within one or two months,” he said.

Many fishermen received a boost each from aid agencies and other donors who provided replacements for boats, nets and other equipment lost in the storm. Others have been provided no-interest loans that do not have to be paid back until after peak fishing season.

“In the past, fishermen who needed loans earned K10,000 to K30,000 a day catching fish in creeks and rivers, and they were able to pay back K5000 to K10,000 a day.

“After Nargis, some fishermen were given loans of K300,000 to K1 million depending on their business. After saving money for a few months, they will be able to pay all the money back,” U Than Oo said.

However, some fishermen say their catches from rivers are about 30 percent lower now than before the storm, and there are still some delta residents who have not yet received much-needed boats and other fishing equipment.

“The catch is less than before, and price of fish like perch, hilsa and mango fish has gone down since the cyclone, so there is still a long way to go before the fisheries sector gets back to normal,” said U Moe Nyo, the owner of Naing Aung fish and prawn purchasing centre in Bogale.

Rice farmers say they have also struggled in the aftermath of the devastating cyclone.

U Than Oo, a farmer in Shwe Htoo village, said he has only been able to grow paddy on 30 of his 42 acres this year.

One area that has seen a business boom since the cyclone is downtown Bogale itself. The influx of workers from domestic and international nongovernmental organisations has led to an increase property and boat rentals, as well as an upsurge in revenue for local restaurants and food shops.

“All the businesses in downtown Bogale were running well within three months of Nargis,” said U Maung Maung, the owner of Manaw Yeik Dhi rice mill in Bogale.

“Some got back on their feet very quickly, while others took more time. Especially those business with insurance were able to revive themselves in a short time,” he said.

With many roads in the delta area damaged by the cyclone, NGOs and other volunteer groups working in the region relied heavily on rented boats to get supplies to remote villages.

Boat owners typically rent their vessels to aid workers for K25,000 to K30,000 a day, not including fuel.

“Some NGOs rent boats monthly and some daily,” said U Than Hlaing, a boatman from Bogale.

“Monthly rental fees are between K200,000 and K300,000 per boat. I’ve been able to earn an income of about K100,000 a month, so I’m making a good living,” he said.

The delta’s education sector has also struggled to recover from cyclone Nargis. With business down in many rural areas, some villages cannot afford to hire the number of teachers needed.

“Before the cyclone, it cost K300,000 a year to hire a teacher for our local school,” said a villager from Bogale township. “But until the livelihoods of the local villagers are restored, we will have trouble paying that amount.”

Meanwhile, ongoing efforts to rebuild infrastructure in the delta have had the dual effect of providing new facilities for local residents and giving much-needed work to people who have had their livelihoods taken away by the storm.
“Most people in this area used to make their living as farmers or by catching fish in small creeks,” said Daw Myint Myint Sann from Kan Hsu village.

“But now many of us earn our living as general workers. I work five hours a day repairing roads damaged by the cyclone for a daily wage of K1500,” she said.

With help from NGOs, private donors and the government, many new houses are also being built in the delta area. About 8000 new homes have been built so far in Bogale township in Kyeinchaunggyi, Setsan, Dauntkyi, Thechaung, Ayeya and Kadon Kani villages.

“Our village is planning to build 90 new houses with help from donors,” said U Than Oo, a villager from Shwe Htoo. “The villagers are very happy because they will soon be able to move out of temporary shelters made from tarps, and into real houses.”