Dr. Cho Cho San

Summary of Work Experience
• Over 20 years of professional experience in agricultural development, policy research, and rural livelihood support across government, academic, and international development sectors
• Five years as Senior Research and Development Specialist with Michigan State University under the USAID-funded Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis (MAPSA) program, contributing to applied research on extension systems, climate-resilient agriculture, and value chain resilience, conducted and managed field activities in conflict-affected and diverse agro-ecological zones, including Southern Shan, Rakhine, Ayeyarwaddy, Kachin, and the Dry Zone, in close collaboration with government agencies, private sector, NGOs, and international partners
• Served over a decade with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI), leading programs in coffee research and macadamia crop development, extension training, state farm budgeting, and national policy formulation; actively involved in the drafting of Myanmar’s Agricultural Policy and the Agricultural Development Strategy, and facilitated multi-stakeholder workshops, public consultations, and research coordination
• More than 15 years of hands-on experience in small-scale textile manufacturing through a family-run enterprise, overseeing production operations, quality control, marketing, and small business management, with strong understanding of rural entrepreneurship and MSME development
Education and Academic Qualifications
From–To Institution, City and Country Main Field of Study Degree Obtained
2011–2016
Kassel University, Germany Agricultural Economics Dr. Agr
2012–2014
Witzenhausen, Kassel University, Germany Doctoral Certificate Program in Agricultural Economics Doctoral Certificate
2005–2007 University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Philippines Agricultural Economics (Natural Resource and Environmental Economics) M.Sc (Agricultural Economics)
1995–2000 Yezin Agricultural University, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar Agricultural Sciences B. Agri. Sc

Working Experiences
From-To Functional Title Location of work
12/2020 -06/2025 Senior Research and Development Specialist Department of Agriculture and Natural Resource Economics, Michigan State University, based in Myanmar and Kasetsart University in Bangkok
07/2016 -11/2020 Program Officer Agricultural Policy Unit, Monitoring and Evaluation Session, Department of Planning, MOALI
12/2007 -07/2016 Deputy Staff Officer Coffee Planning Section, Department of Industrial Crops Development, Yangon, MOALI
01/2000 -12/2007 Assistant Staff Officer and research assistant Coffee Research Extension and Training Centre, Pyin Oo Lwin, MOALI
Pwe Taung Coffee farm
Coffee Extension in Ayeyarwaddy Division

Additional Skill and Work Experience
Hand-on experience at Family-Owned Textile Business, Private SME, Textile Manufacturing | Wundwin], Myanmar
1993-2005- Assistant (part-time while studying: Production role)
2016 – 2025- Management (part-time while studying; advisory role until present)
• Involved in production operations, including machine handling, quality control, and workflow coordination
• Contributed in product design, local marketing strategies, and customer engagement
• Managed small-scale infrastructure upgrades and procurement for raw material, and value chain linkages

Experience in Consultancy and Research Work
• National Consultant and Policy Analyst in the project “Creating Enabling Environments for Nutrition-Sensitive Food and Agriculture to Address Malnutrition under the Zero Hunger Initiative of UNFAO (TCP/RAS/3602)”, 2019
• Environmental Economist at Land Degradation and Sustainable Land Management Practices in Myanmar: Economic of Land Degradation (ELD Initiative)- EEPSEA regional project, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).2016-2017

Professional Job Trainings
• Regional Training on Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Methods for Environmental Economic Topics: The Economy and Environment Partnership for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA), Vung Tau, Vietnam | 9–17 December 2019
• Introductory Course on Safeguard Policy Statement. Asian Development Bank (ADB), Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar | 5–6 September 2019
• Training Workshop on ADB Procurement Procedures and Safeguard Policies
Climate-Friendly Agribusiness Value Chains Sector Project, organized by ADB and MOALI | 3–6 December 2018
• Data-Driven Policy Making for the Enabling Environment for Agriculture organized by Michigan State University (MSU), YAU and MOALI | 6–8 June 2018
• Strengthening M&E Capacity within MOALI: Application of ICT in Monitoring and Evaluation, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar | 3–6 April 2018
• Agricultural Policy Course: Operationalizing the Agricultural Development Strategy – Evidence Gaps and Data Needs organized by MSU, YAU and MOALI, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar | 26–30 March 2018
• Introduction to Monitoring and Evaluation Training Workshop organized by European Union and MOALI | 8–10 March 2018
• Singapore Cooperation Program – Advanced Note-Taking and Project Proposal Writing (TTT) conducted by Green Olive Tree, Singapore | 8–26 January 2018
• Agricultural Policy Course: Thematic Issues, Policy Process, and Conceptual Analysis organized by MSU, IFPRI and YAU, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar | 6–10 November 2017
• Rapid Value Chain Assessment Training Workshop Agricultural Transformation and Market Integration in the ASEAN Region Project, Bangkok, Thailand | 1–3 November 2017
• DAAD DIES ProGRANT Proposal Writing for Research Grants Workshop organized by DAAD and University of Cologne, Yangon and Mandalay, Myanmar | 6–10 March & 2–6 October 2017
• Training Course on Project Cycle Management organized by JAICA, CBI and MOALI, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar | 15–17 March 2017
• Sustainable Land Management: Adoption and Implementation Constraints Training workshop, Thailand | 10–12 January 2017
• Transdisciplinary Research for Natural Resource Sustainability organized by EEPSEA, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | 7–10 December 2016
• DAAD Summer School 2016 – Legal and Economic Challenges for Sustainable Food Security in the 21st Century organized by Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and IAMO, Halle (Saale), Germany | 12–13 September 2016
• Project Planning and Management Training. Yezin Agricultural University, Myanmar | 21–31 October 2013
• Macadamia Nursery Establishment and Plantation Training. Doi Tung, Mae Fah Luang Foundation, Thailand | 1 September – 25 October 2003

Publications and Academic Contributions
1. Goeb, J., San, C. C., Belton, B., Kham Synt, N. L., Aung, N., Maredia, M., & Minten, B. (2025). Traders and agri-food value chain resilience: The case of maize in Myanmar. World Development Perspective 39 (2025)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100699
2. Minten, B., San, C. C., & Htar, M. T. (Forthcoming, 2024). Digital agricultural extension in fragile and conflict-affected countries: Evidence from Myanmar. Manuscript submitted to Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies (Submission ID: RAEE-2024-0386, submitted January 23, 2025).
3. Aung, N., San, C. C., Boughton, D., Minten, B., Naing, P. T., Belton, B., & Lambrecht, I. (2024). Crop production: An engine in need of an upgrade. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://hdl.handle.net/10568/155184. (Chapter in: Boughton, D., Belton, B., Lambrecht, I. B., Masias, I., & Minten, B. (Eds.). (2024). Myanmar’s agrifood system: Historical development, recent shocks, future opportunities. IFPRI.
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/152392
4. Minten, B., San, C. C., & Htar, M. T. (2024). Agricultural service delivery during turmoil: The state of agricultural extension and crop advisory services in Myanmar (Myanmar SSP Working Paper No. 54). IFPRI. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/14077
5. Goeb, J., San, C. C., Belton, B., Synt, N. L. K., Aung, N., Maredia, M., & Minten, B. (2023). Traders and agri-food value chain resilience: The case of maize in Myanmar (Myanmar SSP Working Paper No. 46). IFPRI.
https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.137041
6. San, C. C., van Asselt, J., Win, H. E., & Boughton, D. (2023). Pulses sector assessment: Pre- and post-monsoon 2021 and 2022 (Myanmar SSP Working Paper No. 40). IFPRI. https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.136819
7. Boughton, D., Thawnghmung, A. M., San, C. C., Aung, N., Mark, S. S., & Okamoto, I. (2023). Agriculture and rural livelihoods: Incipient progress aborted. In A. Simpson & N. Farrelly (Eds.), Myanmar – Politics, economy and society (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003386063
8. Myanmar Agriculture Policy Support Activity (MAPSA). (2022). Double jeopardy: COVID-19, coup d'état and poverty in Myanmar (Myanmar SSP Working Paper). IFPRI. https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.135954
9. San, C. C. (2017). Economic Value of Mangrove Forest Uses: The Case of Wunbaike Mangrove Forest in Rakhine State, Myanmar. International Rural Development 9, Kassel University Press. DOI: 10.19211/kup9783737601092
10. San, C. C. (2010). The On-site Cost of Soil Erosion by the Replacement Cost Methods in Inle Lake Watershed, Nyaung Shwe Township, Myanmar. Journal of Environmental Science and Management, 13(1), 67–81.
https://journals.uplb.edu.ph/index.php/JESAM/article/view/427/384
11. San, C. C. (2007). Economic Valuation of Soil Erosion in Inle Lake Watershed, Nyaung Shwe Township, Myanmar. Master thesis research, University of the Philippines Los Baños.