So, rural people dub the trees as offspring in their families. They solved the family problems with incomes obtained from tod­dy-palm plantations. Rural lads joyfully drink toddy sap in Myanmar traditions. The collection of toddy sap is a primary livelihood for local people to produce jag­gery. Those working abroad may suffer from homesickness but they miss the chance to re­turn home immediately. These products showed the na­ture of Myanmar and Anyathians.

Past time had gone with the wind. They also miss the chance to meet their friends. Whenever travellers made trips along the Yangon-Mandalay railway or Mandalay-Myitkyina railway, they could not turn a blind eye to fascinating pictur­esque views of toddy-palm trees along both sides of the railways. Those rural people spent their day time with exhaustion in working tod­dy-palm farms but they could not uplift their living standard. On the other hand, local toddy farmers cannot afford to use electricity in making jag­gery as power cables have not been installed in many parts of the Anya area yet.

The current condition is not purposed for the production of jaggery on a com­mercial scale because of shortag­es of firewood. The whole hut could be built of toddy parts. Such least income was used in nur­turing the generations of rural people in successive eras. At a time when a boy became an adult, he could not choose op­tions for livelihood. The trees to be used as firewood cannot be found around the toddy-palm plantations. Hillocks become barren. The forefathers grew the trees and current generations enjoy the fruits of growing the trees. An adult tree gives toddy sap, toddy fruits to be used in Myanmar’s traditional snacks and jute for making ropes. Chairs, tables, cups, mats, toys and foods could be made of toddy-palm products. These plantations are left alone with­out plant climbers and jaggery makers. Really, the advantages of working at home are the great reward for workers.

Shortages of toddy-palm farmers

Practically, the thick toddy palm plantations in the Anya area do not have toddy farmers. However, they did not discard their livelihoods for their families, their industries and their nation. Now, it is a modern story for new gener­ations. At a time when the trees are in gradual growth, local people can get leaves of the trees to be used in roofing and some people in rural areas use them on the walls of houses. In reality, the Anya area was a dry zone of the nation but it did not become a desert due to the defiance of toddy-palm trees against the climatic condi­tions. Moreover, products from the tree can be used in making mats which are suitable for the climatic con­ditions in all areas. As the government prohibits the ex­traction of firewood from various kinds of forests, local people are difficult to produce jaggery. All parts of the tree are useful for the people.

Toddy sap as rural drink

Sweet and bitter toddy saps can be drunk as soft drinks. The sprouts of toddy trees give toddy-palm nuts as food to the local people. It may be a story told to children before going to bed. Thanks to the trees, the Anya area was home to local peo­ple called Anyathians.

At that time, travellers could enjoy the scenic beauties of dark green toddy palm plan­tations. So, should the current generation grow further plantations? Should they need to be dutiful for poster­ity? They have been consuming the benefits from the plantations for many years. They were needy but they could not starve. They created household utensils made of parts of trees. He had to do the cultivation of crops and climb the trees for collecting toddy sap.

Toddy-palm trees solve kitch­en problems

But, toddy sap and jaggery could not fetch good prices. In successive eras, artistes created their artistic works depicting the beauties of the plantations with the huts of toddy farmers in the background. There remain a few toddy farmers for collection of toddy sap and making jaggery. Although the hillocks of the Anya area were barren but tall toddy-palm plantations could conserve and adjust the climatic conditions to be able to drop some volume of rainfalls on a yearly basis. Past picturesque scene of tod­dy-palm trees

Up to about two decades ago, the Anya region located in central Myanmar and toddy-palm planta­tions were inseparable. Such plants were grown hundreds of years ago. These farms also face gradual degrada­tion. Hundreds of trees thrived in the Anya area, giving proper livelihoods to the local people. But these can give food and income to local people at present. People from the Anya area leave abroad to seek jobs which may be better than the toddy-palm businesses they seemed. It was a real story. It is true that income from toddy-palm farms cannot be compared with that of other jobs abroad. Such kinds of photos and paintings on panoramic views of toddy-palm plantations showed off the nature of Myanmar’s rural people in the past.

Inseparable scenes of Anya’s area and toddy-palm trees

Once, the Anya area of cen­tral Myanmar was filled with tall toddy-palm plantations. Life of toddy farmers and jaggery pro­duction livelihoods were left in the past. So, the government cannot allow cutting trees to ex­tract firewood for domestic use as well as for use of small-scale industries. The base of the toddy-palm branches can be used as household utensils. Should they also not leave similar benefits for new generations?

Since cultivation, the saplings of trees benefit the local people. Now is the start of an era to regrow the trees so as to green the Anya region in cooperation with the government. Myanmar’s forefathers grew toddy-palm trees in their crop­lands and farmlands. The adult tree can give food and utensils to people for many years. Buds of the leaves can be used as toys for children and traditional boxes. Each toddy tree needs to take many decades to be a young one.