The European Union funded organization SMART Myanmar aims to bolster the garment industry in Myanmar: there are around 350 garment factories in Myanmar owned by both local entrepreneurs and foreign investors from 28 countries

An organisation funded through the European Union is hoping to help bolster the garment industry in Myanmar.

SMART Myanmar launched a new four-year project which will expand some of its activities from the previous three years.

SMART Myanmar is an EU-funded SWITCH Asia project focused on making social and environmental improvements in Myanmar’s garment industry.

From 2013-15 the project engaged with local garment factories on social and environmental compliance issues, providing technical support and capacity building. The project helped Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA) develop its staff capacity and draft a ‘Code of Conduct’ for its members.

The new project will support Myanmar garment sector to boost garment products export to European countries in four years, according to a statement.

The organisation will cooperate with, and support, Myanmar garment manufacturers to work within international standards, ensuring improved working conditions and efficiency, Simone Lehmann, project director of SMART Myanmar said.

“We will invite the manufacturers and hope two-thirds of garment manufacturers will cooperate with us. We will give technical assistance to them,” Lehmann said.

SMART Myanmar said it will work closely with garment factories that the Myanmar garment products to be compatible with international standards as well as meeting work standards such as an eight-hour work day.

After that, SMART Myanmar will help manufacturers to connect with garment manufacturers from European countries so that Myanmar garment products can find their niche in European markets, according to an official from SMART Myanmar.

The Myanmar garment sector is struggling to meet the European standard demands and is also weak in competitiveness. The factories often fail to manage human resources systematically which is one of the main requirements to enter to the European market, Roland Kobia, the EU ambassador to Myanmar, said.

“The purpose of this project is to raise the garment product exports 30 times by 2019 than the amount of export in 2015,” Kobia said.

SMART Myanmar said it aims to reduce wastage in production line by 20 percent, reduce electric power consumption by 20 percent and improve working conditions in about 150 garment factories in the second phase.

Protests from garment factories workers have happened recently as some factories raised working hours after the minimum wage law was enacted.

“If the garment factories cooperate with SMART Myanmar, the working conditions for the workers will be better and they can manage their workers better,” U MyintSoe, chairman of MGMA, said.

There are about 350 garment factories in Myanmar owned by both local entrepreneurs and foreign investors from 28 countries. The export of garment products was valued at $1.8 billion in 2015, according to MGMA figures.

Reference:http://www.mmbiztoday.com/articles/smart-myanmar-help-boost-garment-exports-eu

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