Department Of Agricultural Research

What Department Of Agricultural Research does

The Department of Agricultural Research (DAR) is the Myanmar government's primary public agricultural research institution, established in 1954 as the Agricultural Research Temple in Insein Township and relocated to its current 1,028.8-acre headquarters in Yezin, Pyinmana Township in 1971. It became an independent department in 2004 and was placed under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation in 2016. DAR conducts crop and natural-resource research across 11 specialized divisions covering rice, upland crops, industrial and perennial crops, horticulture, soil and water management, biotechnology and plant protection, agricultural economics and technology dissemination, and post-harvest technology, supported by multiple regional research centers and farms across Myanmar.

DAR's core technical assets include a gene bank operational since 1990 for germplasm conservation, proprietary rice variety releases (YSR-1, Yezin Pawsan-1 and -2, Super Rice lines, and aromatic varieties), biotechnology and plant protection laboratories, and a formal Plant Variety Protection framework aligned with UPOV 1991 (Law No. 29/2019). The department collaborates internationally with CGIAR centers (IRRI, CIMMYT, ICRISAT), bilateral donors (JICA, KOICA, ACIAR, World Bank, FAO, IAEA), regional programs (AFACI, MSSRF), and Japanese universities, giving it access to global rice, maize, wheat, and pulse research programs.

DAR is funded entirely by Myanmar's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, with supplementary donor project funding. All research outputs — including the Farmer Channel television program (broadcasting since October 2013), the 81st Farmer Technical Forum held weekly, annual research symposiums, and seed multiplication — are delivered free of charge to Myanmar's farming population through the Department of Agriculture's nationwide extension network. DAR is not a commercial entity: it has no revenue model, no pricing structure, and no paying customers, and its growth is determined by government budget allocations rather than market dynamics.

Name

Department Of Agricultural Research

Legal name

Department of Agricultural Research, Myanmar

Website

https://dar.gov.mm

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Department of Agricultural Research is Myanmar's national public agricultural research department under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, conducting crop breeding, biotechnology, and natural-resource research across 11 divisions and disseminating free technology outputs to Myanmar's farmers through a nationwide extension network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research Services

NAICS

Rice Farming (11116), Oilseed and Grain Farming (1111), Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112), Crop Production (111)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Seed & Hybrid/Variety Selection Consulting (AFACABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Yield Optimization & Crop Performance Consulting (AFACABAC), Plant Tissue, Soil & Water Sampling Coordination (Agronomy-Focused) (AFACABAH), Crop Rotation & Whole-Farm Cropping Systems Design (AFACABAJ), Nutrient Management Planning & Fertility Programs (AFACABAB)

Keywords

• Agricultural research services
• Crop variety development
• Plant breeding programs
• Agricultural biotechnology
• Rice research

Headquarters

HQ city

Yezin, Pyinmana Township

HQ country

Myanmar (Burma)

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Department of Agricultural Research is Myanmar's primary national agricultural research institution, conducting comprehensive research across rice, upland crops, industrial and perennial crops, horticulture, natural resource management, biotechnology, plant protection, agricultural economics, and post-harvest technology through nine specialized divisions. It develops and disseminates improved crop varieties, cultivation techniques, and agricultural technologies to farmers and government stakeholders free of charge through its nationwide extension network, Farmer Channel television program, and research centers.

Product overview

Department of Agricultural Research operates as Myanmar's primary agricultural research institution under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation. The organization provides a portfolio of research services across nine specialized divisions covering rice, upland crops, industrial/perennial crops, horticulture, natural resource management, seed banking/biotechnology, agricultural economics, and post-harvest technology. Key offerings include the Farmer Channel television broadcasting program for agricultural extension, a seed bank for germplasm preservation, and various regional research centers and farms throughout the country. The institution conducts research and disseminates findings through publications, annual reports, highlights, farmer technical forums, and multimedia content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agricultural Research Services Comprehensive agricultural research services covering rice, upland crops, industrial crops, horticultural crops, natural resource management, seed banking, biotechnology, plant protection, agricultural economics, and post-harvest technology. Provided to the Myanmar Ministry of Agriculture and farmers through government extension networks.
• Rice Research Division Research division focused on rice variety development, hybrid rice research, and regional rice research centers across Myanmar. Has developed varieties including YSR-1, Yezin Pawsan-1, Yezin Pawsan-2, and Super Rice lines.
• Upland Crops Research Division Research division covering oilseed crops, pulses, other cereal crops, and regional research centers for dry zone agriculture. Established when DAR expanded from rice-only to multi-crop research in 1971.
• Industrial and Perennial Crops Research Division Research division focused on industrial crops and perennial crops research across multiple regional research centers.
• Horticultural Crops Research Division Research division focusing on fruits, vegetables, floriculture, tropical fruits, and regional horticultural research centers.
• Agricultural Natural Resource Management Research Division Research division covering soil science, water management, agricultural microbiology, natural resource survey, and agricultural engineering research.
• Seed Bank and Biotechnology Research Division Research division covering gene bank, biotechnology, plant physiology, plant variety protection, plant pathology, pest, weed, and related research sections. The Gene Bank has been conserving germplasm collections since 1990.
• Agricultural Economics, Farming System and Technology Dissemination Research Division Research division covering agricultural economics and markets, farming systems, crop seed research and seed multiplication, and information technology and research dissemination.
• Post-Harvest Technology and Food Science Research Division Research division covering post-harvest technology, rice bio-park, food and nutrition research, and pasture and livestock feed research.
• Farmer Channel Television broadcasting program on MRTV disseminating agricultural knowledge, research findings, weather information, and market news to farmers nationwide via MRTV and partner networks. Reaches 70% of rural farmer audience.
• Plant Variety Protection Plant Variety Protection (PVP) system aligned with UPOV 1991 standards, providing intellectual property protection for new plant varieties developed through DAR's research. The PVP Unit was established on May 10, 2016 and raised to Section on March 22, 2017.

Quantifiable outcome

• Development of YSR-1 (Yn3454-1-2-1-UL39) rice variety with 140-170 baskets/acre yield potential, 120-day maturity, 21.02% amylose content, 6.00mm grain length, and resistance to brown planthopper and bacterial leaf blight
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research partnership for rice research and development, including varietal improvement, rice breeding technologies, and sustainable rice production systems.
• International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for maize and wheat improvement research and development programs.
• International Crops Research Institute for Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration for dryland crops including millets, sorghum, and legumes adapted to semi-arid conditions.
• Rural Development Administration Korea (RDA-KOPIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project for development of high-yielding quality rice varieties, post-harvest technologies, and crop production technology improvement.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for reduction of post-harvest losses along the rice supply chain in Myanmar.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical cooperation for evaluating nitrogen use efficiency in rice varieties.
• M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Indian government foundation for establishment of Rice Bio-Park.
• Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (AFACI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-country partnership covering GAP for horticultural crops, post-harvest technology, seed extension, agricultural technology information network (ATIN), organic farming (ANSOFT), plant genetic resources management (IMPGR), integrated pest management (IPM), and seed potato production.
• Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences (YAAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional collaboration with Chinese agricultural research institution for technology exchange.
• Kobe University, Tokyo Agricultural University, Tsukuba UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapanese university partnerships for academic exchange and research collaboration in agricultural sciences.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Rice Research Institute (IRRI): IRRI is the global CGIAR center for rice research and one of DAR's core strategic partners. It is directly comparable in mission (rice breeding, variety development, biotechnology) and serves similar national agricultural research systems across Asia.
• International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT): CIMMYT is a core partner of DAR focused on maize and wheat improvement. It is directly comparable in mission as a CGIAR center running breeding, varietal improvement, and capacity-building programs for national agricultural systems.
• International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT): ICRISAT is a core DAR partner focused on dryland crops (millets, sorghum, legumes) suited to semi-arid conditions. It is directly comparable in mission and operates the same CGIAR national-system collaboration model.

Regional players

• Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI): BRRI is Bangladesh's national rice research institute, comparable in scale, mandate, and structure to DAR. It develops and releases rice varieties for national food security and operates extension programs to farmers across the country.
• Thailand Department of Agriculture: Thailand's Department of Agriculture operates a similar research-to-extension model in a neighboring ASEAN country, with comparable mandate across rice, field crops, and horticulture. It engages with DAR via joint research and variety exchange.
• Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice): PhilRice is the Philippines' premier national rice research institute, structurally and functionally analogous to DAR. It conducts rice breeding, variety release, and extension programs in a neighboring ASEAN country, making it a strong regional comparator.
• China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI): CNRRI is China's premier national rice research institute under CAAS, engaged with DAR through the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences (YAAS) partnership. Comparable in mission (hybrid rice, variety development) and a leading source of rice research globally.
• Indonesian Center for Rice Research: Indonesia's rice research arm sits within IAARD and conducts rice breeding, variety testing, and technology dissemination. It is comparable in function and serves a similarly rice-dependent economy in Southeast Asia.

Broad incumbents

• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): ICAR is India's apex national agricultural research body, vastly larger than DAR but functionally analogous: multi-crop research divisions, gene banks, PVP administration, and nationwide extension. It serves as the broad-incumbent reference for institutional scale DAR aspires to.
• Rural Development Administration Korea (RDA): RDA is Korea's national agricultural research and extension body, partnering with DAR via KOPIA. Comparable in mandate across multiple crops, biotechnology, and post-harvest, with a more advanced technology base and larger budget.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/departmentofagriculturalresearch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Department Of Agricultural Research