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Soursop Training

A total of 120 farmers from the Cayo District attended a one-day workshop at Central Farm on the Cultivation of Soursop. The training comes through the Sustainable Development of Resilient Value Chains – Implementation of CARICOM COVID-19 Agri-food Recovery Plan” Project, signed back in October of 2020.
This Agri-food Recovery Plan is a regional project involving Belize, Dominica, Guyana and St. Lucia with objectives of strengthening the technical, tacit and process capability of ministry staff to select and develop high potential national value chains and also to focus on one selected value chain per country.
Facilitator for the training is Dr. Abel Reboucas, an agronomist from Brazil who holds a doctorate from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil in Tropical Fruits with concentration in citrus, mangos, passion fruit, soursop, papaya, avocado and coconut.
The workshop will also be held in Orange Walk, Toledo and Stann Creek. The training will comprise of both theory and practical aspects of Soursop Cultivation.

Launched of the National Dairy Strategic Plan 2022 to 2026

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise launched the National Dairy Strategic Plan 2022 – 2026. The strategy highlights the priorities that need to be addressed to improve the dairy sector, by making it more, productive, competitive, profitable, and sustainable.
The interventions included in the strategy aim to put the dairy industry on a growth path of 5% per year while improving productivity and building climate resilience. It aims at promoting better organization of the sector, improving the quality and shelf life of the dairy products, and supporting a tax structure that foster the farm to table approach of PlantBelize and the mantra of producing more of what we consume and consuming more of what we produce.
The Ministry of Agriculture, in partnership with the private sector is confronting the prevailing challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to create a more enabling environment to achieve the desired results of the National Dairy Strategic Plan.
The industry aims to improve quality, increase production, sustainability and profitability through innovative policy and regulatory decisions, availability of relevant information, technology adaptation, adoption of innovations and dissemination.
One main point of the transformational agenda for the dairy sector will be access to the necessary capital for investment in infrastructure and technology to produce a high-quality dairy product. This will allow for the industry, supported by an appropriate policy and regulatory environment, to secure greater local market share and reduce dependency on imported dairy products.
The National Dairy Strategic Plan 2022 – 2026 is the result of a public-private partnership between the Government and the dairy farmers of Belize.

Stakeholder Validation Workshop on the Soursop Industry Upgrade Strategy

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) hosted a Stakeholder Validation Workshop on the Soursop Industry Upgrade Strategy.
This event is an activity under a regional project “Sustainable Development of Resilient Value Chains – Implementation of CARICOM COVID-19 Agri-Food Recovery Plan” that includes Belize, Dominica, Guyana, St. Lucia with a value of US$400,000.00.
The regional project aims to address gaps, tactics and process capability of government institution to implement and guide value chain development efforts, applicable for all agriculture sectors. The project as well aims in improving the capacity of the public sector agencies to assess value chain potential, devise and implement tailored upgrading strategies, engage effectively with private sector actors (farmers, processors, exporters) and align agendas behind a common market-orientated vision of strengthening key agricultural value chains.
The event which was held virtual and face to face was facilitated by FAO International Value Chain Consultant Ms. Bree Romuld and Agribusiness Specialist Mr. Omardath Maharaj.

Training on Sustainable Aquaculture Food Safety Practices and Risk Analysis in Fish Disease

Three experts from the Ocean Country Partnership Program are currently in Belize providing a one-day technical workshop for officers of the Ministry of Agriculture Aquaculture Unit on the development of skills and expertise needed to adopt sustainable aquaculture food safety practices and risk analysis in fish disease.
The Ocean Country Partnership Programme supports countries to strengthen marine science expertise, develop science-based policy and management tools, as well as create educational resources for coastal communities.
Attending the workshop were personnel from the Belize Agriculture Health Authority and Students from the University of Belize.

Fruit Tree Propagation Training

The Belize District Agriculture Department hosted a fruit tree propagation training at the farm of Mr. Rondolph Griffith in the Santana community located on the old Northern Highway. Twenty-five fruit producers from the surrounding communities were in attendance.
The objective of the training was to build capacity of growers in asexual propagation practices (budding and grafting).
During the hands-on training, the growers familiarized themselves with a range of propagation techniques of fruit trees, such as the use of air-layering in lychee and guava; and grafting techniques in soursop, mango, avocado, and sapodilla. They were also introduced to aspects of fruit tree management (pruning, fertilization, irrigation and pest management).
Advantages of the techniques to fruit production include resistance to certain insects and diseases, and performance in various soil drainage types. Most dwarf rootstocks are also precocious, meaning that they bear fruit early in the tree’s life.
The objective of the department is to promote crop diversification and to increase year-round availability of fruits promoting food security. Priority fruits of value chain interest to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise include soursop, pineapple, pitahaya (dragon fruit) and coconuts for the export market.
The Tropical Fruit Program of the department is designed to assist farmers/ fruit growers with all aspects of production. Other information and workshops will be offered periodically during the year and will target a variety of topics for specific fruit in management and best practices.
The training was facilitated by Mr. John Sanchez of the Stann Creek Department of Agriculture and coordinated by Extension Officer’s Mr. Marvin Blades and Mr. Noel Ramos

Workshop on Beekeeping Productive Diversification and Preparation of Byproducts using Honey

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise hosted today a one-day training workshop for the CARICOM Development Fund project beneficiaries and honey producers residing in the Cayo and Belize District.
The training was held at the Agro-processing unit in Central farm, where 35 persons attended. The one-day workshop focused on Beekeeping Productive Diversification and Preparation of By-products using Honey.
The training was facilitated by Mr. Miguel Huertas Honey National Coordinator and Ms. Ana Howe from the Central Farm Agro-processing unit. Some of the products created were Honey Garlic, Honey Turmeric, Honey Ginger and Honey Cocoa. Other by product created was Beeswax Candles and Mead.

Minister of Agriculture attends AGM on Restoring Degraded Lands in Latin America and the Caribbean

Minister Jose Abelardo Mai along with Chief Executive Officer Servulo Baeza attended the Joint Annual Meeting of the Initiative 20×20, Bonn Challenge, and the Agriculture, Forest, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) 2040 hosted by the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye from February 8 to 9, 2023.

Country leaders, private investors, and technical partners from across Latin America and the Caribbean have convened to connect on converging agendas and pursue the objective of presenting areas of collaboration between Initiative 20×20 ─ Bonn Challenge ─ AFOLU 2040 under the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration; streamline intersectoral cooperation between environment and agriculture for restoration; and mobilize finance to support restoration efforts.

The Initiative 20×20 is a country-led effort seeking to change the dynamics of land degradation in Latin America and the Caribbean by protecting and restoring 350 million hectares of forests, farms, pasture, and other landscapes by 2030. The initiative was launched at the 20th Climate Change Conference of Parties held in Lima, Peru, in 2014 and is the Caribbean and Latin American regions’ response to the Bonn Challenge, the United Nations Forum on Forests and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Furthermore, the initiative serves as a platform where multiple partners can contribute to the UN Decade on Ecosystems Restoration, which is a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems worldwide for the benefit of people and nature. It aims to halt the degradation of ecosystems and restore them to achieve global goals.

In response to the Bonn Challenge, Initiative 20×20, and UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, Belize crafted its National Landscape Restoration Strategy in which 382,592 hectares have been identified for restoration opportunities. Of this, a total of 130,000 hectares have been prioritized for restoration actions by 2030. The goal is to implement reforestation practices for 44,000 hectares in forest areas inside and outside protected areas, and 6,000 hectares of degraded and deforested riparian forests. In addition, restoration efforts will improve the management of 80,000 hectares of the agro-productive landscape through improved agricultural and agroforestry practices.

Present at the event was also Acting Chief Agriculture Officer Dr. Victoriano Pascual and Director of Extension Mr. Clifford Martinez.

 

 

 

 

 

CONSULTING SERVICES INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT SELECTION

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT SELECTION)
Belize
Climate Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture Project (CRESAP)
Loan No.: 9347-BE
Project ID No.: P172592
Assignment Title: Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
Reference No. (as per Procurement Plan): CS 13
The Government of Belize has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the
Climate Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for
consulting services.
The consulting services (“the Services”) is for a suitable qualified fulltime PROJECT STAFFMONITORING AND EVALUATION SPECIALIST as part of the Project Implementation Unit
of the CRESAP within the Belize Social Investment Fund. The Monitoring and Evaluation
Specialist will be part of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) and will be in charge of the overall
planning, monitoring and evaluation responsibility of the project during its execution, and will
provide guidance and support to the PIU during the implementation phase so that the Project
Development Objectives (PDO) and impacts are achieved in accordance with the Project
Operation Manual (POM) and the Climate Smart Matching Grant Operation Manual (MGOM).
The GOB has appointed the Belize Social Investment Fund (BSIF) as the implementing agency
for the project and the BSIF is seeking to recruit an individual to fill the position of Monitoring
and Evaluation Specialist.
The consultancy is expected to be for an initial period of Twenty-four (24) months commencing
March 2023. The Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will be supervised by the Project
Coordinator (PC) of the CRESAP.
The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be obtained by submitting a
request in writing via e-mail to procurement.cresap@sifbelize.org or at the following link
https://sifbelize.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Monitoring_and_Evaluation_Specialist_TOR-FinalPDF.pdf on the website of BSIF at www.sifbelize.org.
The Belize Social Investment Fund now invites eligible individuals (“Consultants”) to indicate
their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information
demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the
Services (such as cover letter, Curriculum Vitae etc.).
Minimum Mandatory Requirements *(Required)
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in development studies, statistics, social science, agriculture, rural
development, project management, or any other field related to the assignment.
General Experience
Five years of proven working experience in planning, monitoring and evaluation from
internationally funded projects (i.e., World Bank, CDB, EU, UNDP, FAO, IFAD, etc.) with
reference to the agriculture sector. (Max 20 points)
*If these minimum requirements are not met, the candidates will not be considered for the
process*
Additional Requirements (Desirable)
Specific Experience
• At least five years’ experience in designing and implementation of M&E systems. (Max
15 points)
• At least five years’ experience in the application of M&E methodologies and approaches
(including quantitative, qualitative and participatory) (Max 15 points)
• At least five years’ experience in the preparation and use of the logical framework/theory
of change and other strategic planning approaches (Max 15 points)
• At least 3 years’ experience in training M&E systems and implementation (Max 10 points)
• At least 3 years’ experience in facilitating learning-oriented analysis sessions of M&E data
with multiple stakeholders. (Max 10 points)
• At least 3 years’ experience in working with age and gender disaggregated indicators.
(Max 10 points)
• At least 3 years’ experience in informative analysis and report writing. (Max 5 points)
Minimum total points required to be considered for the assignment is 75 points.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of
the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016 (“Procurement
Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.
A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Selection of Individual Consultant method
set out in the Procurement Regulations.
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours, i.e., 0800 to 1600
hours Belize Time.
Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by
mail, or by e-mail) by February 27, 2023 at 16:00 hours Belize Time
Belize Social Investment Fund
Attn: Ian Ramirez, Procurement Officer
P.O. Box 459, 1902 Constitution Drive (3rd Floor), Belmopan, Belize
Telephone +501-822-0239
Email: procurement.cresap@sifbelize.or

Individual Consultant Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist REOI PDF

Appointment of a New Task Force for the Shrimp Industry

Appointment of a New Task Force for the Shrimp Industry
Belmopan, January 25, 2023:
Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, has appointed a new task force for the shrimp industry. The task force will address constraints and a way forward to revive the industry.
Appointments to the task force take effect today at its inaugural meeting held at the Belize Agriculture Health Authority (BAHA) conference room in Belmopan. Minister Mai, who joined virtually, expressed his confidence in the members appointed and outlined his expectations of the task force.
The Task Force comprises eight members:
1. Hugh O’Brien, Program Director for Citrus and Diversification, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise – Chairman
2. Alvin Henderson, Chairman of the Shrimp Growers Association
3. Charlie Naresh Punwani, Owner of Quality Shrimp Farm
4. Silvia Mendez, Animal Health Officer, BAHA
5. Digno Polanco, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise
6. Dr. Osmond Martinez, Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Economic Development
7. Richard Reid, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
8. Representative from the Development Finance Corporation
A three-month timeframe is being granted to the task force to complete its work and submit recommendations to the Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, who will then submit them to Cabinet for final consideration.
Shrimp production in Belize peaked at 16 million pounds in 2014, earning over $90 million in foreign exchange. However, in 2015, the industry was hit with the Early Mortality Syndrome, which decimated the industry. Production went downhill and since 2016, annual production has hovered between one and two million pounds, barely enough to supply the local market.

National Vegetable Stakeholders Meeting

26th January 2023

The Ministry of Agriculture Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE) held its annual National Vegetable Stakeholders meeting with vegetable producers from the various productive areas around the country at the National Agriculture and Trade Showgrounds in Belmopan.

The meeting focused on the present status of the national vegetable crop production season 2022-2023. Other items discussed were the validation of the production data reported to date, as well as constraints being faced by farmers in terms of productivity, harvesting and marketing of their produce.

Priority crops discussed were lettuce, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, purple cabbage, beets and onions. As production continues for these commodities consumers will see an increase of local produce at the retail markets.

Present at the meeting were farmers, personnel from the Belize Agriculture Health Authority, Belize Marketing and Development Cooperation (BMDC), and MAFSE Extension Officers.

The Ministry of Agriculture continues its collaboration with stakeholders and emphasizes its support for farmers and local producers.

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Contact Info

Address: H.M. Queen Elizabeth II Blvd., Belmopan City, Belize C.A
Phone: (501) 822-2241 / 42
Fax: (501) 822-2409
Email: info@agriculture.gov.bz

Highlights & Events

  • IICA Donates Agricultural Equipment to Ministry of Agriculture to Support Small Farmers Nationwide
  • Minister Jose Abelardo Mai Concludes Two Day Citrus and Coconut Industry Tour in Southern Belize

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Useful Links

✓National Meteorological Service
✓CZMAI
✓Pesticide Control Board
✓BAHA
✓IICA
✓OIRSA
✓CARDI
✓FAO
✓CATIE

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