Redesigning the Future of Farming
MLC VANGUARD | Created by Proximity Designs
Proximity Designs is an award-winning social enterprise on a mission to revolutionize agriculture across Myanmar, giving millions of underserved farmers the access to new, well-designed technology and empowering them to maximize their income potential.
1,214,131 Lives Impacted
We target vulnerable smallholder farmers who operate their farms as small agro-businesses. Our well-designed on-farm solutions have immediate and long-lasting impacts on rural lives, by radically reducing the labour and time needed to farm:
• A 2020 in-house survey showed customers saved approximately 144 hours of irrigation time per year, time that can be spent working on other income-generating jobs, caring for family members or attending school.
• Our farm products/services are estimated to increase household incomes by an average of US$250 per year, a 20% annual income increase. This is life-changing: farmers can invest in their farms, better nutrition, healthcare and education – and build long-term resilience.
• Yield increases are possible within a season, and farmers’ investments can be recouped in a year. For instance, the micro-tube technology in our drip irrigation systems increases yields by 33%. Farmers who use our soil health testing and follow the nutrient recommendations can see up to a 50% increase in yields.
The Innovation
A well-functioning, small-farm ecosystem is an important fulcrum to ensure food security, livelihoods and resilience for Myanmar's large population of 54.6m people. They are the backbone of the economy and hold the key to reducing mass poverty and inequalities across the country. Yet, they’ve been neglected by government and markets through decades of isolation and now lack essential support and resources to care for their land and prosper.
Proximity Designs is filling this void. Since 2004, we have helped over one million low-income households increase their net incomes. Our offerings revolve around three core service areas: 1) the provision of improved agronomy practices/skills, 2) access to affordable farm financial services and 3) micro-irrigation systems.
For 17 years, we’ve created markets for products/services that never existed in rural Myanmar, and done so within a context of extreme poverty. We have proven strong demand from small farmers for these practical on-farm services, if they are accessible and affordable.
About Proximity Designs
Proximity Designs is a not-for-profit social enterprise, registered in the United States as a 501(c)3 operating exclusively in Myanmar since 2004. Our mission is to design and deliver affordable, income-boosting products that complement the entrepreneurial spirit of rural families. We launched with the commitment to create a social business for Myanmar’s underserved rural families. What originally started with 13 team members and two treadle pump models has transformed into a 950 person team and a full line of micro irrigation products, agricultural extension services, and access to farm credit.
Implemented in
Proximity Designs’ innovation has been implemented in Myanmar.
