Abstract
The Kachin people of northern Myanmar have been fighting for independence for decades. To fund the political and military struggle, the growth and sale of opium has been used. However, narcotics usage has become a scourge in Kachin society as it has been around the world and there have been increasing attempts to eradicate growth and dampen demand. For opium eradication to be successful and sustainable, farmers must be provided with alternative crops that can provide a decent level of income an which are suitable for prevailing agricultural conditions. One possible such crop is the Inca Inchi nut that originally was found in upland South America. The nut provides a nutritious oil with many benefits to health and has been successfully marketed in the form of beverages, cosmetics and medicinal products. This case study considers the possibility of using Inca Inchi nuts across Kachin State as part of an extensive opium replacement programme.
Highlights
The Kachin people are part of an ethnic group of Jinghpao peoples who are located across northern Myanmar and southern China
Kachin resistances led to the creation of a political arm, the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and a military wing, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA)
This paper reports on a programme of qualitative research involving personal interviews in Kachin State or with the diaspora of Kachin people living in Thailand and other countries, as well as other relevant experts
Summary
The Kachin people are part of an ethnic group of Jinghpao peoples who are located across northern Myanmar and southern China. They occupy in part a liminal space which does not match national borders (Dean, 2005), meaning that the Kachin desire for independence or autonomy is partly imaginary in nature and impractical to create, given political realities. Opium production entered into industrial scale production at the time of the Second American War in Indochina (Vietnam War) and the Golden Triangle entered infamy as a result. Opium growing is not just illegal but brings great misery to local communities where its use has spread considerably It has spread among discontented and under-employed young people, long distance truck ass.ccsenet.org. The contents of the database were subjected to content analysis and the results of the analysis are presented in this paper
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