Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise Tours Western Dairies Facilities

Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise Tours Western Dairies Facilities
On the 21st of January, 2021. the Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise toured the Western Dairies processing facilities and a dairy farm in Spanish Lookout.
The purpose of the tour was for the Minister to learn more about the Western Dairies brand of dairy products and the processes involved in producing milk products such as fresh milk, yogurt, cheeses, and ice cream. The tour included an overview of the products, an extended tour of the processing plant, and a question and answer session with the press. After lunch, the Minister and his team were taken on a tour of a dairy farm to see the first stages in milk production.
Minister Mai has been vigorous in supporting Belizean dairy products, despite some public criticism as it relates to imported milk and milk products. These products will still be available although the Minister has alluded to limiting importation permits for milk and milk products because of an irresponsible saturation of the market under the previous administration. The Minister continues to champion the cause of local producers of dairy products, pointing out the high costs of production faced by farmers and producers in comparison to imported products.
Minister Mai stated that he hopes the tour will aid in increasing awareness of the availability and quality of Belizean milk and milk products. He encourages Belizeans to buy locally made products to contribute to rebuilding the economy.
The Minister was accompanied on the tour by his Chief Executive Officer, Servulo Baeza; Senior Technical Adviser, Digno Polanco; and other officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise.
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Minister of Agriculture Receives Donation from OIRSA

Minister of Agriculture Receives Donation from OIRSA

18 December 2020:

The Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, the Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai today received a donation from the OIRSA Regional Emergency Funds to assist farmers and livestock producers affected by the recent floods.

This has come about after the Central American Ministers of Agriculture (CIRSA) met virtually on the 13th of November to declare a Regional Emergency for Central American countries due to the devastation caused by Hurricanes Eta and Iota. Under this declaration CIRSA approved the use of OIRSA Regional Emergency funds to assist farmers and livestock producers affected with re-establishing their production systems, rescuing animals due to flooding, and safeguarding against pest and disease outbreaks due to the effects of the storms. The Ministers unanimously approved a budget of US$100,000 per country that was affected.

The Ministry of Agriculture, along with BAHA and the assistance of OIRSA Belize, developed an emergency plan for Belize and submitted it for approval. Today OIRSA is delivering to the Ministry of Agriculture part of these materials according to the plan to assist farmers to get back on their feet as well as to assist livestock producers.

The plan consists mainly of providing assistance for the rescuing of and feeds for animals from flooded areas, providing seeds for vegetable farmers, and monitoring for pests and diseases that might arise because of the flooding.

ENDS

 

Exportation of Live Cattle to Mexico

Exportation of Live Cattle to Mexico 

 

 

 

Belmopan. December 9, 2020. 5:00 p.m.  

 A ceremony to commemorate the exportation of another consignment of live cattle to Mexico was held today at Blue Creek Village in the Orange Walk District. A total of 629 heads of cattle are expected to be exported to Mexico.  

 The main speakers at the ceremony were the Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, and Hon. Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Immigration. Minister Courtenay pledged his Ministry’s support for export-oriented activities such as cattle export and stated that the collaboration between the two ministries and relevant stakeholders will continue to strengthen the formalization of the cattle trade. Minister Mai underscored the importance of the cattle trade as an important economic activity for Belize. The Minister said that the value of export earnings of the cattle trade is right behind that of sugar, a long-established export commodity.  

 Also present at the ceremony were the Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration, Hon. Ramon Cervantes; representatives from Sukarne, a Mexican meat processing company, which is the buyer of the cattle being exported; as well as officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise and cattle farmers from the area. 

 Prior to the ceremony, the ministers and other guests as well as the media were given a tour of the quarantine facility where the cattle are being kept until they are loaded for export. 

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Minister of Agriculture Attends Meeting to Discuss Re-opening of the Corozal Free Zone

Minister of Agriculture Attends Meeting to Discuss Re-opening of the Corozal Free Zone

Belmopan. December 4, 2020. 11:28 a.m. 

On Thursday, December 3, 2020, Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, the Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise and other officials of the Ministry of Agriculture met with representatives from the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Chamber of Commerce of the Corozal Free Zone to discuss the re-opening of the Northern Free Zone.  

The meeting was held in an atmosphere of cordiality as the discussion focused on the details of the operation and health measures that must be put in place if the Free Zone is re-opened. Minister Mai committed to ensuring that Government looks after the interest of investors and the public to safeguard the health of all while keeping in mind the need of the country to deal with the economic difficulties brought on by COVID-19.  

Investors agreed to cooperate to fast track the opening of the Corozal Free Zone as promised by Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño. The plan will be expedited and taken to Cabinet for discussion and final approval. 

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Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, Discuss Curfew Issues Affecting Agro Producers

Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, Discuss Curfew Issues Affecting Agro Producers

 

27th, November 2020: Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise Jose Abelardo Mai; Minister of Public Utilities and Logistics Rodwell Ferguson; Minister of Rural Transformation, Labor and Local Government Community Development and Rural Development Oscar Requeña; Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Orlando Habet, along with Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, CEO Servulo Baeza and members of the management team of the Ministry of Agriculture met this afternoon in Belmopan, to discuss issues having to do with the curfew regulations to be imposed over the weekend and their effects on producers and the movement of essential goods, services, and products.

The meeting was held to facilitate agro-producers around the country as the new curfew regulations are implemented this weekend. Curfew regulations often affect producers who sometimes need to move animals and essential products during the hours of curfew. The Ministry of Agriculture has taken a leadership role in ensuring producers are affected as little as possible by curfew regulations, as the productive sector is important to the wellbeing of the nation.

 

ENDS

Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Visit Villages affected by the Flooding

Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Visited Villages affected by Flooding

On Thursday, November 19th, 2020, the Prime Minister Hon. John Briceno, and Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise visited Maypen Village in the Belize District to get a firsthand look at the situation involving cattle rescue due to flooding.

Maypen is a settlement that lies off the Philip Goldson Highway, approximately 27 miles outside Belize City. Residents of the area are involved in cattle ranching which has been impacted by the recent rains and the rising Belize River. Cattle in the area have become stranded and are in danger of drowning.

Minister Mai was apprised of the situation at a meeting during his familiarization tour. Quick action on the Minister’s part led to collaboration with the Belize Livestock Producers Association (BLPA), Banana Bank Lodge, Caribbean Tires, and Mennonite ranchers from the villages of Blue Creek and Shipyard, who provided boats and trailers to help rescue the stranded animals. Of the approximately 300 heads of stranded cattle, 60 have already been rescued.

The Prime Minister and Minister Mai visited the area where they spoke with ranchers and got a first-hand look at the rescue efforts. Prime Minister Briceño and Hon. Mai praised the efforts of all involved, especially the BLPA and ranchers from Blue Creek and Shipyard, who came from afar to support the rescue efforts.

  Accompanied by area representative for Belize Rural North, Hon. Marconi Leal, the Prime Minister and Minister Mai also visited Crooked Tree to get a look at the flooding and spoke to affected residents. The causeway is underwater and several families in the village have been evacuated to shelters.

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Presentation of funds to implement phase II of Sheep and Goat project

Presentation of funds to implement phase II of Sheep and Goat project

On Tuesday, October 20th, H.E. Remus Li-Kuo Chen, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize, presented a cheque for BZ$744,000 to the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Mr. Edmund Zuniga, for the implementation of the Cooperation in Breeding Sheep and Goat Production and Guidance System Enhancement Project. 

 In March of this year, the project agreement was signed by Senator Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Food and Agriculture, and the Ambassador. It is a four-year project with an approved total budget of US$3 million, of which the Government of Belize will contribute US$500,000 as counterpart funding and the Taiwan Government will finance US$2.5 million. 

The main objectives of the project are as follows:  

  • Assist Belizean farmers in improving the quality of the sheep and goats through enhanced genetics;
  • Conduct market value chain analysis and implement a marketing program to promote consumption and market penetration for sheep and goat products; and
  • Strengthen the Sheep and Goat Traceability System to improve value chain efficiencies and branding quality of sheep and goat products. 

In the initial phase of the project, the Sheep and Goat Breeding Centre was established at the Central Farm Research and Innovation Center in the Cayo District, where improved and registered sheep and goats are now available for sale. Sheep and goat production have tremendous growth potential on the domestic market and on the regional export market.  

 The two governments expressed their desire and dedication for further strengthening of friendship and cooperative relations through the implementation of this project. 

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Minister of Food and Agriculture Attends the 36th FAO Regional Virtual Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean

The Minister of Food and Agriculture Attends the 36th FAO Regional Virtual Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean

Belize joins today the 36th FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean. The three days conference which began on the 19th of October 2020, will end today 21st of October 2020.

The 36th FAO Regional Conference brings together all FAO member countries in the region to establish the Organization’s regional priorities for the next two years, with Nicaragua as the country host.

At the Conference, FAO will report on the results achieved in the period 2018-2019 and will assist countries to find joint solutions to the challenges of food security, rural development, innovation, climate change, and sustainable agriculture, fisheries, livestock, and forestry.

The conference will also focus on transforming food systems for healthy diets for all, moving hand-in-hand towards prosperous and inclusive rural societies, sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture, and driving innovation and digital agriculture.

Representation from Belize is being led by the Hon. Senator Godwin Hulse, Minister of Food and Agriculture, and Immigration; accompanied by Mr. Edmund Zuniga, Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Food and Agriculture; Mr. Andrew Harrison, Chief Agriculture Officer, Mr. Armando Aban, FAO National Correspondence for Belize, and other personnel from the Ministry of Agriculture.

 

The following topics to be addressed by the Minister of Agriculture during the conference is

  • Sustainable and Climate Resilient Agriculture
  • Innovation and Digital Agriculture.
  • Improving FAO’s capabilities to save member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

END

Drought Press Release

Drought Press Release #1

The National Meteorological Service (NMS) of Belize hereby informs the general public that the seasonal rainfall forecast for April to September 2020 is showing a probability of drier than usual conditions across much of the country. Driest conditions are expected over northern and central areas while rainfall over the Stann Creek and Toledo district is expected to be normal to slightly below normal. One of the main climatic drivers in our region is the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Whenever there is an El Nino, as was the case in 2019, there is high confidence that our region will see less than normal rainfall. However, for this year the ENSO is expected to remain in a neutral phase for the coming months. This creates greater uncertainty in the seasonal forecasts.

Given the forecast for below-normal rainfall during the coming months along with the fact that groundwater and surface reservoirs continue low from last year’s drought, the National Meteorological Service maintains a drought warning for the districts of Corozal, Orange Walk Cayo, Belize, and Stann Creek and a drought watch for the Toledo district. An increase in pests and diseases associated with drier than normal conditions is also highly likely along with sporadic fires outbreaks. Additionally, the NMS advises that the situation on the New River may be similar to last year taking into account the rainfall factor alone, therefore constant monitoring is required. For additional details and products, the general public is advised to keep up to date with information published on the NMS website at http://www.hydromet.gov.bz/.

The National Meteorological Service, in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, and Immigration (MFAI), calls for water conservation at all levels and advises farmers and ranchers to take the necessary precautions for minimizing losses of crops and livestock. A detailed list of drought mitigation measures that can assist in minimizing agricultural losses can be found on the websites of the NMS, MFAI, https://www.agriculture.gov.bz/sustainable-agriculture/, Belize Agriculture Health Authority (BAHA) https://www.geoportal.baha.org.bz and the International Regional Organization for Plant and Animal Health (OIRSA) https://geoportal.oirsa.org/

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For more information please contact:
fblanco@oirsa.org
kenrick.witty@baha.org.bz
dir.wmcc@agriculture.gov.bz
joel.villanueva@baha.org.bz
syoung@hydromet.gov.bz

Minister of Agriculture Visited the Toledo District School Gardens

Minister of Agriculture Visited the Toledo District School Gardens

The Minister of Agriculture visited various school Gardens in the Toledo District. The tour allowed the Minister to get a first-hand impression of the operations and standards of the school gardens. Over the past years, the Ministry of Agriculture has been supporting school garden programs by providing training for teachers and students on the operation of gardens, technical assistance, and inputs as well as additional support.