Despite the onset of monsoon a couple of months ago there is still low rainfall, which has resulted in damage to cash crops, such as nuts, Pyawkot and paddy. The water shortage is all across Burma. Farmers as such are suffering from low rainfall, Karenni sources said.

A local resident from Deemawso, said, "It did not rain when it was needed this year. We could not plough our farms and left it dry. Many seeds wilted and died in the hard soil with no rain."

Farmers are in a spot. In several township of Karenni state, like Bawlake and Deemawso-Wangot, Yaynipot, Hothar, Nanaw, Showlot, Sawlo, Hawkham, Dawtamagyi and Dawngeku villages – villagers are affected by drought pushing them towards poverty.

Like many states in Burma, wells and ponds in Rangoon and Irrawaddy divisions are drying up. In Karenni state, water sources dried up more than three months ago, causing severe problems for farmers since the beginning of April, local sources said.

Many farmers have to work in remote areas, in mines in Mawchi, Mineshew, Phagan, Mushe provinces, while others go to Thailand for work.

Taw Reh Poe,  Director of the Karenni Development and Research Group (KDRG) said, "It is hard dealing with these problems. The villagers have no choice, they have to work in mines in Mawchi or trading instead of farming," he said.

There is growing concern among farmers in Karenni state that this year's harvests could be adversely affected by the late start of the monsoons and continuing low levels of rainfall. Many fear crop yields would be substantially reduced by water shortages, especially if rainfall continues to be less than normal.