Fast forward a few years and in 2020 Than Htike earned a Master of Science in Agriculture from the University of New England. During his studies, he explored a wide range of subjects including organic agriculture, agricultural extension, sustainable development, natural resource management, farm management, and client service skills for agriculture consultants.

His time in Australia was not only academically enriching but also personally transformative. He built his professional networks, developed new ideas, and gained exposure to innovative technologies. Beyond the classroom, he actively participated in community events, celebrated cultural festivals, and connected with international students, broadening his understanding of diverse cultures. He continues to maintain strong ties with fellow alumni, especially those from Myanmar who studied in the same cohort and now work in similar sectors.

“I applied for an Australia Awards Scholarship to deepen my knowledge in agriculture and contribute more meaningfully to my community. Studying in Australia gave me the tools, confidence, and global perspective I needed to grow professionally.”

Upon returning to Myanmar, Than Htike faced a year of job-hunting challenges before securing a role as an Agriculture Officer at an organisation dedicated to sustainable agricultural development. The skills he gained during his studies such as report writing, critical thinking, natural resource management, and understanding regional development processes and policies have proven invaluable to his new role. Drawing on these capabilities, he began advocating for sustainable farming practices, including reducing chemical use and reusing farm waste as natural fertiliser. His improved technical expertise and increased confidence in community engagement enabled him to work more independently and earn the trust of both his team and the farming communities he supports.

“The skills I gained—like critical thinking, report writing, and natural resource management—have been directly applicable to my work. They’ve helped me become more independent and trusted in my role.”

In his current position, Than Htike contributes to key initiatives such as the “Farmers Field School,” a community-based learning centre that helps farmers adopt environmentally friendly practices. He is also involved in the “Employment Intensive Investment” project which provides immediate income to vulnerable populations. By providing temporary wage-earning opportunities for low-skilled or unemployed community members through a “cash-for-work” program, the project, in turn, supports farmers in improving agricultural infrastructure to ensure efficient crop production and market access.

However, promoting sustainable practices has not been without challenges. Many farmers were initially reluctant to move away from traditional methods and chemical inputs, which often yield higher short-term results. To address this, Than Htike led by example, demonstrating successful vegetable farming using natural inputs. His efforts helped build trust and gradually convinced farmers of the long-term benefits of sustainable agriculture.

“Convincing farmers to shift from traditional methods to modern and sustainable practices wasn’t easy. I had to lead by example—demonstrating that natural inputs can work. Once they saw the results, they began to believe in the change.”

In response to limited field access due to the political instability, he has adapted his communication strategies, placing even greater emphasis on building trust and maintaining strong relationships with farmers.

In 2024, Than Htike furthered his expertise by attending the Australia Awards Short Course on “Responding to the Climate Change Challenge.” With strong support from his organisation, he completed the training while continuing his professional duties. The course provided him with valuable insights into climate-resilient agricultural strategies, including techniques for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing soil health, and conserving water.

He found the knowledge highly applicable and has since integrated it into his work—supporting farmers in adopting practices that improve yields while protecting the environment. He also expanded his professional network through the course, connecting with participants from diverse backgrounds in the climate change and agriculture sectors.

After completing the training, he organised a knowledge-sharing session with his team and adapted the content for farmers at the “Farmers Field School,” helping them understand the environmental impact of their practices.

“Through the Farmers Field School, we’re helping farmers understand how their practices affect the environment—and how small changes can make a big difference.”

Than Htike’s journey reflects the transformative power of the Australia Awards. The education, skills, and networks he gained have enabled him to lead sustainable agricultural initiatives that benefit both local communities and national development. His work continues to inspire others and contributes to a more resilient and environmentally conscious future for Myanmar.

Her work experience revealed challenges in conservation that Thazin Saw felt needed to be addressed. She wanted to know more about the current species and distribution of agricultural birds, and conventional and natural farming practices. She learnt that there was a shortage of domestic technical experts and conservation instruments available in Myanmar that could support agricultural and environmental challenges.

This led her to look for ways she could upgrade her own education to make a positive impact upon conservation in Myanmar, which in turn, led her to Australia Awards.

Thazin applied to become an Australia Awards Scholar in 2019 as part of the 2020 intake. In her application she proposed to research an assessment of agricultural practices and their impact on agriculture and birds in Indawgyi.

Agriculture is an important industry in Myanmar and Thazin Saw wanted to contribute to the conservation of important wetlands. She explained,

“Agriculture is the main industry in Myanmar, accounting for 60 percent of the GDP, and rice remains the country’s most crucial agricultural commodity. It is important to know the consequences of current agricultural practices on biodiversity living around the farmlands.”

Having identified that there was no form of assessment in Indawgyi, or in Myanmar more broadly, she proposed to study the impacts of current agricultural practices towards developing more sustainable agricultural practices that could be applied around the country.

As an Australia Awards Scholar, Thazin Saw is now undertaking a Master of Ecosystem Management and Conservation at The University of Melbourne.

She found her move to Melbourne convenient and said, “I have received a lot of guidance from Australia Awards. Before I came to Australia, I received instructions to apply for a bank account, enrolment instructions, housing guide, and how to book a course advice appointment. When I arrived in Australia, I participated in a mentoring program and Introductory Academic Program (IAP) which has been helpful throughout my study.”

Thazin Saw has been inspired by how the government in Australia manages urban forests by creating parks and gardens so people and nature can live together.

She wants to apply these lived experiences and studies from Australia to her home country of Myanmar by creating a network of environmental restoration associations upon her return.

She encourages other aspiring Australia Awards applicants and says of her Australia Awards application experience, “that presenting your true and own story when answering the written questions will make your application unique, and you will answer interview questions smoothly.”

In 2017, Khin Zaw Tun completed a Master of Agricultural Science at the University of Queensland through an Australia Awards Scholarship. This experience enabled him to expand his knowledge of contemporary agricultural practices. “My master’s degree armed me with updated agricultural techniques, which is helpful for the agriculture sector as well as for my career,” he says.

During his study, Khin Zaw Tun found an elective course on value chain management to be particularly informative. “The course brought clear understanding to me about the agriculture sector in Myanmar,” he says. “It equipped me with technical knowledge of implementing value change management for smallholder farmers in Myanmar.”

After returning from his Scholarship in Australia, Khin Zaw Tun joined development organisation ICCO Myanmar as a project manager. He oversaw the ‘Pulses, People, Planet and Profit (P4)’ project, which aimed to improve the mung bean value chain in Myanmar to increase access to markets for farmers and suppliers, and to increase the productivity and quality of mung bean production. The three-year project was implemented in Yangon and Magway in collaboration with a range of stakeholders.

Khin Zaw Tun (pictured second to left) undertaking a field inspection and interviewing seed farmers

“Mung beans have become a key pulse product for export markets nowadays,” explains Khin Zaw Tun. “It can bring benefits for smallholder farmers if they can produce mung beans of export quality and link up with export markets. So, we empowered the mung bean farmers from Yangon and Magway to work in collective action, do collective marketing, get price incentives and increase their mung bean yield.”

The project worked with partner organisations to provide technical support for farmers in good agricultural practice (GAP) training, “which is critical for productivity and quality,” says Khin Zaw Tun. “Next, we organised smallholder farmers to collaborate and share information with each other so that they could attain bargaining power.”

Applying GAP, farmers produce premium products to access new markets. “With GAP, pulse farmers could diversify the export market. Mung beans main export locations are the European Union, Japan and ASEAN countries. Recently, the export market for mung beans has broadened to the United States and Russia.” Khin Zaw Tun notes that this broadening of the export market was a direct outcome of the P4 project.

Another significant component of the project was that ICCO provided lobbying and advocacy training to the mung bean farmer groups in Yangon and Magway regions, giving participants hands-on experience in formulating action plans on lobby issues. As a result, the participants improved their skills in advocating for mung bean farmers’ interests at township and regional levels.

The impact of the lobbying and advocacy training has been significant. “Trained farmers provided input and ideas on making key policy recommendations for the development of the pulses and oilseeds sectors,” explains Khin Zaw Tun. “Farmer representatives from the Yangon and Magway regions were able to express their challenges, especially on pesticide law, fertiliser law, farmer association registration and market accessibility.”

A significant development occurred in 2019 when farmers involved in the project met the union-level Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development Committee of the House of Representatives to raise their voices. “That was the farmers’ collective action for policy advocacy. They became empowered,” Khin Zaw Tun says with pride.

Agriculture is the backbone of the Myanmar economy and the sector could play a key role in the country’s economic development. “Seventy percent of the population lives in rural areas,” explains Khin Zaw Tun. “Most of the farmers in Myanmar are smallholder farmers, who need expertise and support to improve the quality and add value to agricultural products.

“I want to contribute my expertise to agricultural and rural development in Myanmar.”

ICCO’s 3-year project concluded at the end of 2020 and Khin Zaw Tun is delighted with the project’s success in improving the mung bean value chain in Yangon and Magway.

For more information about the P4 project, watch this video and read the project case study.