Coconut Training

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise through the Bilateral Cooperation Project with the Mexican Secretariat for Agriculture and Rural Development, the Mexican International Agency for Cooperation and Development and the National Research Institute of Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock of Mexico is hosting a five-day training session from the 6th to the 10th of June 2022, for Coconut Farmers. The training is being held at the Agro-processing Unit in Central Farm.
The objective of the training is to strengthen the coconut value chain through the application of good manufacturing practices in processing products and by-products, as well as to consolidate the coconut production chain by pluralizing the areas of opportunity in the markets.
Currently, coconut trees grow in 93 countries, due to its resistance and its ability to move long distances floating in the sea. All parts of the plant have the potential to be harnessed providing sustenance, food, shelter and home to its producers. The vast majority of producers are of meager resources and live in rural areas with very little extension of land for their cultivation.
The training is facilitated by Mexican Facilitators M.C. Justo Abelardo Tepal Chale and M.C. Octavio Rojas Rodríguez.

Registration Ceremonies for Concepcion Vegetable Farmers Co-operative Society Limited and Northern Sustainable Agro-producers Co-operative Society Limited

Registration Ceremonies for Concepcion Vegetable Farmers Co-operative Society Limited and Northern Sustainable Agro-producers Co-operative Society Limited
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise announced that the Department of Co-operatives, responsible for the registration and regulation of co-operatives, held registration ceremonies on June 3rd 2022, in Concepcion Village, Corozal for Concepcion Vegetable Farmers Co-operative Society Limited and Northern Sustainable Agro-producers Co-operative Society Limited.
These new co-operatives have transitioned to formal and legally recognized enterprises under the oversight of the department. This gives them access to auditing, conflict resolution services, and entrepreneurial development programs, among others.
Concepcion Vegetable Farmers Co-operative Society Limited is engaged in the production and marketing of fruits and vegetables and will operate from Concepcion Village, Corozal. It has twenty-two (22) members, twenty-one (21) men and one (1) woman, who come from Concepcion Village. Northern Sustainable Agro-producers Co-operative Society Limited is also engaged in the production and marketing of vegetables and will operate from Xaibe Village, Corozal. It has eighteen (18) members, eleven (11) men and seven (7) women, who come from the villages of Xaibe, Patchakan, and Cristo Rey in the Corozal District.
During the ceremony, remarks were made by Mr. Orlando Ek, Chair of the Concepcion Vegetable Farmers Co-operative, Mrs. Maria Yam, Chair of the Northern Sustainable Agro-producers Co-operative, and Mr. Gareth Murillo, Registrar of Co-operatives. Mr. Servulo Baeza, Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise was the keynote speaker. Present were farmers of the co-operative, staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise, and representatives of the Resilient Rural Belize Program,

Technical Visit to El Salvador

Technical Visit to El Salvador
Coordinator of the National Food and Nutrition Security Commission, Mr. Emilio Montero, was on a technical visit to El Salvador from June 1st to June 3rd, 2022.
The purpose of the visit was to have a first hand experience of the results beneficiaries in Salvador had in the project Sembrando Vida. The three day visit will include tours of plots, nurseries and bio-factories in San Salvador and San Miguel.
The visit was facilitated by AMEXCID through its General Directorate for the Execution of Special International Cooperation Projects. Sembrando Vida is a program of the Government of Mexico that seeks to contribute to the social welfare of seeders and planters through the promotion of food self-sufficiency, with actions that favor the reconstruction of the social fabric and the recovery of the environment, through the implementation of plots with agroforestry production systems.
The program seeks to address two problems: rural poverty and environmental degradation. In this way, its objectives are to rescue the countryside, reactivate the local economy and the regeneration of the social fabric in the communities.
Sembrando Vida is a comprehensive program that seeks to achieve sustainable communities that starts from Social, Economic and Environmental Components. With this Integral Vision, it energizes the socio-environmental and cultural diversity of the communities, contributes to the generation of jobs, the care of the environment and favors greater social cohesion.
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Minister Mai Meets with CEO of Makalde Group

Minister Mai Meets with CEO of Makalde Group
Minister Jose Abelardo Mai met with Mr. Maher Makalde CEO of Makalde Group and Legal Representative Sara Acevedo to discuss investment opportunities in the agriculture sector. The group was led by Mr. David Martinez from the Secretariat in the Office of the Presidency of the Republic of El Salvador.
During their visit the delegation toured the vegetable markets in Belmopan and visited the Valley of Peace Lagoon Co-operative to get a firsthand experience of the farming methods used in Belize.
The Makalde Brothers Ltd was founded in 1997. The Company’s line of business includes the wholesale distribution of agricultural machinery and equipment.
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A Successful Agriculture & Trade Show

The National Agriculture and Trade Show (NATS), under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, was held on May 27, 28, and 29, 2022, under the theme “Innovations in technology: Driving a Climate Resilient and Competitive Agriculture and Food Sector”.

This year’s show welcomed over 29,137 visitors, regional delegates and guests. Despite the inclement weather in the last hours of the show on Sunday, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise considers the event a huge success.

There were no major incidents reported in connection with the event. The bull’s escape from the rodeo arena on Sunday was regrettable. The ministry is grateful that no one was seriously injured; the animal was quickly captured by the rodeo team and returned to its pen with no further issues.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise thanks all those who attended the show including the committee members who gave their time and energy to help plan and coordinate the event. The ministry also extends a special thanks to the sponsors and collaborating agencies such as the Belize Police Department, Belmopan City Council, Total Business Solutions Ltd, Beltraide, Development Finance Corporation, vendors, exhibitors, and service providers. Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, acknowledges the efforts of the staff of the ministry in contributing to this successful event.

The proposed dates for the National Agriculture and Trade Show 2023 are April 28, 29, and 30, 2023.

 

Advisory Notice

The remnants of Hurricane Agatha present threats to the Agriculture Sector, particularly to the Northern, Central and Southern regions of Belize. To mitigate the potential effects, the Ministry of Agriculture Food Security and Enterprise hereby advises all farmers who are in low lying and flood prone areas to safeguard their families and livelihoods.
All farmers are advised to pay attention to the weather situation which is likely to get worse over the next couple of days.
Following Measures to be observe:
Crop Producers are advised to
– harvest available and mature crops
– make a note of all crops planted and production amount
– store harvested crops in cool, dry areas to avoid spoilage or losses
Producers with Tropical Green Houses or Covered Structures are asked to
– remove covering materials (UV Plastic and Anti-Viral netting)
– safely store equipment and supplies
– make a note of all crops planted and production amount, including taking pictures of the structure (s)
Livestock Producers are advised to
– temporarily relocate animals to safer areas
– ensure availability of animal feed and water
– make a count of all animals
Farm Inputs
– secure all farm machinery and farm inputs
– relocate all pesticides and pesticide containers to avoid spillage and contamination, especially in flood prone areas

CARICOM Agri Food Investment Forum and Expo

Belize was represented at the CARICOM Agri-Food Investment Forum and Expo held on May 19 – 21, 2022 in Georgetown, Guyana, under the theme: “Investing in Vision 25 by 2025”. The overall goal of this important event was to achieve the 25% by 2025 vision of reducing regional food imports by fostering accelerated and targeted investment in agriculture and food production and its business ecosystem within CARICOM member states.
Increased investment in agriculture and food production is critical for unlocking potentials for significantly reducing the almost US$6 Billion in food imports and therefore achieving the 25% x 2025 food import reduction target. The event forum is geared towards the promotion, engagement, and informed dialogue among key
stakeholders along the agri-food value chain —policymakers, development partners, foreign and local private investors, farmers, distributers—on how investment could be encouraged. Stakeholders within the industry will be able to exhibit their products and services, network with others both directly and indirectly affected by the industry and acquire high-level investment and marketing exposure.
Among those representing Belize was PM John Briceño, Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie, Minister Jose Mai, BMDC Managing Director Valentin Carrillo, BMDC Marketing Officer Chad Bowman and Policy Analyst Milagro Matus.

Regional Strategy Workshop for Rural Youth

On May 19th 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Executive Secretariat of the Central American Agricultural Council (SECAC)and PROCASUR Corporation hosted a half day workshop on the Regional Strategy for Rural Youth for SICA countries at the National Agriculture and Trade Showgrounds Conference Room.
The objective of the workshop was to promote dialogue between national actors linked to the rural youth sector, to frame the Regional Strategy in the current national regulatory and programmatic framework, as well as to define lines of work derived from this regional instrument, to strengthen the role of rural youth in the development of their territories.
Since the adoption of the Regional Action Plan for Rural Youth in the SICA countries (2017-2021), approved on February 17, 2017 by the Central American Agricultural Council (CAC), important changes were registered in the context of adaptation of regulations, creation of organizational structures for rural youth and the availability of spaces for advocacy and participation, despite the great challenges that continue to haunt rural areas, especially in the face of crises such as the one caused by COVID-19 and climate change.
The National Rural Youth Plan of Belize was based on the guidelines and priority actions defined by the Government of Belize for the implementation of the Regional Action Plan within the scope of ECADERT. The National Rural Youth Plan seeks to promote equality
and access to resources, assets and opportunities that facilitate greater capacity building of young individuals and expanding their participation in decision-making and social spaces in the full exercise of their rights.
The strategic axis and activities included in the National Plan are characterized by proposing key focus points and solutions regarding the implementation of policies in favor of the country’s rural youth by approaching several challenges regarding the focus
of public investment and institutional articulation. These are based on the goals prioritized by the country regarding alleviation of poverty, promotion of employment and social equality. The Plan was created within the framework of the project “Youth Leaders for the Rural Territorial Development in the Central American Integration System (SICA) Region” and implemented by the PROCASUR Corporation and the Executive Secretariat of the Central American Agricultural Council (SECAC), with financial support by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

 

 

 

 

 

The Launched of the Nago Bank Road Enhancement Project

On May 19th 2022, the Government of Belize launched the . The launch follows the signing of a BZ$1,734,102.34 contract on May 9, 2022, between the Government of Belize and Teichroeb & Sons Limited for the upgrading of three miles of the Nago Bank Road.
Along with Maskall and Bomba, the Nago Bank area serves as the “vegetable basket” for the Belize District and elsewhere; therefore, having proper road access is crucial to food security as it ensures that farmers can bring their products to the market year-round.
The Nago Bank Road Enhancement Project is an initiative of the Resilient Rural Belize (RRB) Programme, a six-year programme that aims to minimize the impacts of climatic and economic events on agricultural micro, small and medium farms and households. Its development objective is to build overall resilience to climate change for MSMEs by adopting new or improved climate-resilient practices, increasing and diversifying agricultural production, and facilitating small farmers’ access, including improved road access to commercial market chains for the off-take of their surplus production.
The RRB Programme is being implemented by the Government of Belize, with BZ$40 million in financing from the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and participating beneficiaries. Through a Matching Grant Fund, the RRB Programme provides technical and financial assistance to agriculture cooperatives like Los Pequeños Agricultores y Ganaderos de Nago Bank Co-operative Society Limited. The fund is supporting the fulfilment of the progamme objectives by co-financing investments that would improve, in volume and quality, small farmer agricultural production and safeguard food security in the context of existing and projected climate change effects.
By working with producer organizations, the RRB is providing support for the development of business plans, which identify proposed investments, including technical assistance and capacity building, aimed at achieving these objectives, and which shall be used as the basis for accessing support from the Matching Grant Fund. Additionally, the programme provides funding to producer organization communities in areas such as the enhancement of agricultural feeder roads so that farmers can get their goods to markets more efficiently and effectively.
The RRB Programme has also signed a matching grant agreement with the Los Pequeños Agricultores y Ganaderos de Nago Bank Co-operative Society Limited to assist with the construction of a water facility, a storage/packing shed, and climate-friendly irrigation implements as well as capacity-building efforts for the cooperative so that they can achieve organizational and financial sustainability. These efforts are expected to be duplicated among 30 farming communities across Belize.
Present at the ceremony were Hon. Marconi Leal, Area Representative for Belize Rural North; Dr. Osmond Martinez, CEO in the Ministry of Economic Development; Victor Espat, CEO in the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing; Servulo Baeza, CEO in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise; Dr. Geraldo Flowers, Programme Manager, Resilient Rural Belize; Ruben Pineda, Chairman for Los Pequeños Agricultores y Ganaderos de Nago Bank Co-operative Society Limited; representatives of the respective ministries, RRB and members of the cooperative.

Crop Nutrition and Fertigation Training Session

On May 18th 2022, the Cayo District Agriculture Department hosted a Crop Nutrition and Fertigation training session for farmers of Agua Viva.
The training was facilitated by Extension Officer Mr. Amir Pulido along with Mr. Harold Westby and Mr. Alberto Gutierrez from the Irrigation Unit. The purpose of the training was to teach farmers the advantage of using fertigation.
Fertigation is a technique used to supply dissolved fertilizer to crops through an irrigation system. It is used for 1. Higher yields and better quality crops: The supply of nutrients to the crops according to the physiological stage, considering the climate and soil characteristics, resulting in high yields and high quality crops. 2. Increased efficiency of nutrients: Nutrients are applied to the root zone and uniformly, where the active roots are concentrated. Less fertilizer applied resulting on decrease of production costs. 3. Reduction of groundwater pollution: The exact dosage optimizes fertilization, reducing the potential for groundwater contamination caused by the leaching of fertilizers. 4. Greater convenience and economy: Allows use of fertilizer solutions, which is more practical than the solid or granular type fertilizers. 5. Efficient application of microelements: which are expensive and are required in small quantities. With the high cost of agro-inputs the use of this technique not only helps to increase productivity but also to reduce costs.