Agriculture Policy

POLICY PAPER ON AGRICULTURE

PEOPLE’S UNITED PARTY

According to the UN FAO, the agriculture sector includes the complete process from the natural resources, production systems of crops, livestock, fisheries, forestry and all combinations thereof, to the processing, marketing (wholesale and retail), exporting of the products, as well as investment, training, research, extension and financing services. Accordingly, the policy priorities to improve agriculture in Belize must encompass the entire value chain, including those functions and activities in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy, which contribute to and benefit from agriculture.

The agriculture sector in Belize has been on a steady, downward spiral during the last 3 UDP administrations. They can boast about their highways, new roundabouts and buildings, but after 13 years of doing the same, the national economy is weak and feeble, and now we are in a recession, with 0.3% growth in 2019/20. It is well known, the UDP can’t hide this precarious situation, and they cannot fool the people any more. The traditional agricultural exports and Foreign Exchange Earnings have declined, in particular for citrus, papaya, shrimp and sugar to less than $391 million in 2019. On the other side, the food import bill has grown by 8% every year over the last 10 years, reaching in 2018 a total $274.4 million. In 2010, the poverty rate in Belize was 43%, and recent estimates put the rate at 50% in 2019. As expected, because of neglect, poverty incidence is much higher in rural communities where agriculture is the principal means of sustenance.

In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic drastically weakened the national economy and exacerbated the constraints of the productive sectors including agriculture. However, the food and agricultural sector is still holding up, believe it or not, without any government assistance yet. The fact that food production and food security are not in any danger of collapsing as the other sectors is testament to the inherent strength, dedication and resilience of our farmers and rural communities. Indeed, agriculture is undeniably the backbone of our economy, and that is why most, if not all Belizeans, now understand and appreciate the strategic value of agriculture for local and national development.

We all know that agriculture is vital for Belize, not only in coping but in standing up to the rising coronavirus challenge, the economic and fiscal crisis, endemic poverty and escalating crime situation, and the increasing threats of climate change. 

A working group, representing a healthy blend of farmers and farm leaders, producers, professionals and politicians, was formed to discuss, consult with others, and put their ideas together into the development of this policy. They identified and analyzed our achievements, constraints, opportunities and other important issues that should be addressed and guide the future directions in this PUP policy.
The overall goal of this policy is to increase, diversify and sustain agricultural production, food security, income and employment generation in Belize. This goal will require increasing farm-level capacity, improving technology and innovation, raising labor productivity, and being regionally competitive. Achieving this goal will enable Belize to increase exports, reduce food imports and improve the livelihood and well-being of rural communities.
To achieve the policy goal, the working group has organized the policy priorities under the following headings and strategic actions:
  1. Focus policy implementation on import replacement and substitution, export expansion and strengthening the linkages of tourism with our local productive sectors, using public/private sector partnership (PPP) models, as the primary means to grow our national economy.
    1. Identify suitable areas for production of vegetables with effective demand in all districts.
    2. Expand and intensify production of vegetables, including use of irrigation systems, hydroponics and greenhouse technology, e.g. onions, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, chaya and cauliflower.
    3. Increase production and improve quality and diversity of dairy products: milk, cheese, icecream, yogurt and others.
    4. Increase the production and processing of grains for export: corn, rice, soybean, beans, blackeye peas, sorghum, and others.
    5. Identify ethnic commodities for niche markets abroad and promote exports to these markets, e.g. hot peppers, pumpkins, frozen fruits, plantains, coco yams, cassava, roots and tubers.
    6. Establish micro and small fruit orchards with delicious, nutritious species, for food security and possible export, by planting fruit trees for medium term and long-term production, e.g. limes, soursop, custard apple, mamey, guava, plums and sapodilla
  2. Review the entire tax system and enact reforms to have a simplified, fair, efficient and development-driven system that works for the producers and to provide incentives to the taxpayers, not only the Government, in the form of affordable financing and credit services, and other priority needs for the effective participation of the private sectors. These reforms should also promote a more equitable distribution of wealth between producers/investors and labourers.
    1. Remove GST from products that are used to produce commodities for export.
    2. Reduce taxes on fuel used to produce food for local consumption and export
    3. Remove GST on irrigation, drainage and other equipment for production.
    4. Remove GST on materials and supplies used for greenhouse technology
    5. Reduce import duties and GST on equipment and materials used in food processing, packaging and other value adding processes.
    6. Reduce taxes on spraying equipment including crop dusters
  3. Review and improve our trade policy agreements in our region and promote the export of Belizean products, both traditional exports and development of new products with export potential. We must change from being an open, import-driven economy to an open, export-driven economy.
    1. Complete the Partial Scope agreement with Mexico, to include cattle, other livestock, corn, beans and other grains.
    2. Negotiate with other Central American countries to trade on grains and other commodities, including barter commodity trading.
    3. Continue to pursue and activate/expand our trade relations among CARICOM countries.
  4. Work with the associations of the 4 traditional exports, i.e. sugar, citrus, banana and fisheries industries including shrimp, to address their constraints and mobilize investment and technical resources for expanding production and exports.
    1. Urgently review and analyze the status of the Sugar Industry with the aim to modernize the Sugar Industry Act to ensure inclusivity and fairness to all stakeholders, in order to make the industry competitive and sustainable.
    2. Encourage and support sugar mill’s investment in the production of bio-fuel (ethanol) and legislate that at least 10-15% of national fuel consumption be locally produced bio-fuel (ethanol).
    3. Strengthen and empower the Sugar Industry Control Board, farmer associations and their respective implementing bodies to carry out their functions and responsibilities as mandated by law to ensure fairness, efficiency and equity among all stakeholders of the industry.
    4. Work with the Citrus Growers Association (CGA) and Belize Citrus Mutual (BCM) in facilitating access to capital for the propagation of disease tolerant/resistant plants to distribute to the citrus growers, replanting citrus orchards with better genetic material, and diversifying with alternative and complementary cropping systems.
    5. Work very closely with farmers in the south and Citrus Products of Belize to expand the processing of other local fruits into fruit concentrate for local use and exports: e.g. limes, pineapple, mango, soursop, passion fruit etc.
    6. Assist the banana growers to address their “seed”, disease and other production constraints, and most importantly the international marketing issues.
    7. Work with the key stakeholders in fisheries, including fishers, cooperatives and fishing communities, to focus on effective regulatory, managerial and monitoring solutions for over-fishing, long term stock conservation, marine protected areas, international marketing agreements, cooperative management issues, regional cooperation mechanisms, and other fisheries priority areas.
    8. Review the financial status of the Shrimp Industry with the aim of interceding on behalf of Shrimp producers with financial Institutions for any financial relief in terms of moratoriums on payments, interest reduction and refinancing together with the injection of fresh capital to enable the shrimp farms to migrate to the alternative, bio-secure, modern, efficient and intensive production system resulting in rebound in shrimp production.
    9. Seek to attract new and emerging lucrative niche markets with our trading partners.
    10. Will lobby with BEL for the consideration and introduction of Industrial rates for heavy energy consumers to enhance competitiveness.
    11. Review BAHA’s regulatory fees for all agricultural and food exports with the aim of streamlining costs to stimulate production, export and improve competitiveness.
  5. Improve access to affordable financing for farmers by working with credit unions and commercial banks to offer better lending and repayment conditions to farmers, in terms of low interest loans and providing incentives and other support for local agricultural producers.
    1. Much needed refinancing will be required for farmers to continue operations.
    2. Fresh injection of capital to kick start production to increase export capacity.
    3. Loans for increase vegetable production using improved technology.
    4. Loans for processing and value adding equipment.
  6. Build resilience to climate change disasters and risks through education, preparation, diversification and innovative climate-smart systems of land use, in particular for the small producers and farmers in high-risk prone regions of the country.
    1. Develop institutional capacities and provide training to farmers on climate-smart systems and practices
    2. Expand the use of irrigation, hydroponics and greenhouse technology to produce high quality vegetables
    3. Mobilize financing from international finance institutions and other organizations interested in sustainable agriculture, agroforestry, the environment and resource conservation, climate change management, climate-smart agriculture and risk management innovations.
  7. Develop and forge partnerships with renowned universities, regional and international institutions to mobilize investment for R&D to adapt technology, irrigation, germplasm, seedling propagation, integrated pest and disease management, “green” pesticides, food processing and value adding and technical extension for farmers through on-site demonstrations and farmer training schools.
    1. Development/updating of sub-sector policies, strategies and development plans, based on science, empirical data and/or good practice, e.g. hemp, marijuana, processing and storage systems, and databases and e-agriculture.
    2. Reprogram and invigorate Central Farm and other research units to carry out research in relevant interventions and needs, as demanded by the farmers, producers, exporters and investors.
    3. SIRDI must continue to further research in sugar cane in, e.g. irrigation, integrated pest management, new varieties, harvesting regimes and transportation systems, in order to increase productivity and profitability in all phases of the industry.
    4. On farm research, field trials and demonstration plots must be done across the country with farmers to determine and test adoptability and adoption constraints.
  8. Grow and produce more of what we eat and promote more consumption of what we grow, as food and feed imports amount to an average $200m per annum. Belizeans farmers and processors should be able to replace or substitute at least 50% of those foods and feed imports in the next 5 years. (similar to import substitution)
    1. Promote and implement backyard garden systems in the villages, towns and cities.
    2. Increase the production of small family plots and small orchards with delicious, nutritious fruit trees.
    3. Provide on-site and virtual training on the use of small-scale backyard planting and other technologies to take advantage of the surge in interest by Belizeans to plant in their backyards.
    4. A re-invigorated Central Farm and district extension services will produce seeds and seedlings of nutritious and easy-to-grow greens (i.e. miracle tree, chaya, callaloo spinach), vegetables (tomato and okra), tubers (i.e. cassava and cocoyam) and various fruits trees, and sell them at an affordable price to farmers and backyard gardeners.
    5. Organize and assist farmers, farmer cooperatives and associations to supply and flood tourist establishments, hotels, restaurants and supermarkets across Belize.
    6. Review the import policies with BAHA, Public Health Dept, and Dept of Environment to enact and apply regulations and adjust import duties where necessary to restrict the entry of poor quality, unhealthy and environment-unfriendly products.
    7. Massive propaganda advertising and urging people to eat local and avoid cheap, poor quality food imports.
  9. Rebuild the agriculture sector through the teaching of agriculture at all levels of education on the importance of agriculture, promote the growing of crops in school and at home, producing their own food snacks, and explaining why as a society of Belize must invest, be productive and apply more business principles in agriculture.
    1. Working with University of Belize to transform and invigorate its agriculture campus in Central Farm
    2. Increasing the number of schools doing school gardens and demonstrations
    3. Including school gardening and agriculture as a part of the curriculum
    4. Training on basic food processing techniques and practical lessons in school.
  10. Reduce food loss and waste by improving storage and logistic facilities and investing in the development of new products from the by-products and waste at the local and community levels, i.e. value adding and processing technologies, by:
    1. Partnering and investing with friendly countries to commence processing and value adding of fruits and vegetables, e.g. French potato fries, tomato and mango products.
    2. Expanding coconut water, coconut oil, coconut milk and other by-products made from this important and well adapted crop.
    3. Training personnel in processed foods enhancement skills and preparing quality products for the tourism market and high-end income consumers.
    4. Training livestock farmers to improve quality, meat cuts and flavour of meat catering to the tourism sector.
  11. Improve our trade and market intelligence for international access and market penetration, to enable improved decision-making on investment and production.
    1. Strengthening the skills of producer associations, entrepreneurs and investors in effectively accessing and using trade and market intelligence for business decisions;
    2. Working with local trade and investment support institutions to improve their trade and market intelligence-related services;
    3. Developing new and innovative approaches to intelligence gathering, analysis and utilization, and managing up-dated empirical databanks.
    4. Facilitating evidence-based policy reform, with a focus on addressing tariff and non-tariff obstacles to trade in agricultural and food products and materials.
Our working group also identified rural infrastructure, the environment and natural resource conservation/biodiversity, and mitigation of climate change, as policy priorities for agriculture. However, these are covered separately and presented in other policies.

All farmers, no matter your race, creed or political affiliation, we want you to grow, to thrive and to work together, i.e. the small farmers, the medium size and the large-scale farmers. Logically, the type of support, training and cooperation, that each grouping needs, are different and therefore the strategy will have to differ for each. What is clear for us – nobody will be overlooked or undermined in the work of our Government.

The basic strategy to improve the livelihoods is by raising the productivity of labour, which requires a combination of enhancing the knowledge and skills of the farmers and producers, investing in proper tools and equipment, and using appropriate technology and innovation to improve yield, marketing and profitability. Herein is our best option to knock out poverty and crime for good in rural areas.

Government and the private sector will practice team work from planning to implementation and evaluation of the agricultural policy and strategies. And we shall work together, and with the international community, to use all the available human, technical and financial resources in the best ways possible to achieve our mutual objectives. We shall usher in a new culture of partnership and new norms of governance in the agricultural sector.

To execute this policy, the Ministry of Agriculture will require the full cooperation of other important ministries, and therefore the new Government will put in place a national planning and monitoring mechanism to ensure that strategies, programs and resources are developed and managed across the government to produce the desired outcomes and impact.

We will have to invest more, but also be more cost-effective in using our limited resources, if we are to achieve our national policy goal.

We will review our staff competencies, discard old and useless programs, adopt real management by objective and for results, and routinely practice annual evaluations of staff and projects, and focus on mobilizing resources locally, nationally and internationally. Waste, incompetence and redundancy will end, and the private sector and you the media will help us by holding our feet and hands to the fire.

The timely and efficient implementation of the PUP-led Government policy will result in the following expected outcomes and impact during the first 5 years:

  • The capacity for good governance, leadership and management will be improved. We will learn from and emulate other governments who rank among the best in the world.
  • The annual value of exports will be increased by at least 10% every year, with the objective of reaching $700 m in 5 years.
  • The annual value of food imports will be reduced to $100 m per annum in year 5. In year 5, our famers and producers will earn an additional income of approximately $450 m every year from the additional exports and reduced food imports.
  • The agricultural and food sector will employ at least 30% of the labor force. Most of this demand will be met by rural communities, including women and youth, but the multiplying effects will be felt in urban communities in terms of the increased demand for manufacturing and services.
  • The incidence of poverty, particularly in rural areas, will be cut in half, from approximately 50% of the rural population to 25%, in 5 years. Although the big push will come from agriculture’s contribution, the demand for other products and services will impact directly on improving rural livelihoods.
  • Food and nutrition, in quantity and quality, combined with better education and healthcare, will increase the total productivity of our agricultural labor force.
  • Our youth will better appreciate what they can contribute, what agriculture can do for their future aspiration, and be more inclined to learn, to commit and work for the sustainable development of our agricultural and food sector.
  • Given recent developments, our agriculture sector is in desperate need of revival and rebuilding, so that its total contribution to GDP should be in the range of 25% instead of the present 13%.

The agriculture sector in Belize has been on a steady, downward spiral during the last 3 UDP administrations. They can boast about their highways, new roundabouts and buildings, but after 13 years of doing the same, the national economy is weak and feeble, and now we are in a recession, with 0.3% growth in 2019/20. It is well known, the UDP can’t hide this precarious situation, and they cannot fool the people any more. The traditional agricultural exports and Foreign Exchange Earnings have declined, in particular for citrus, papaya, shrimp and sugar to less than $391 million in 2019. On the other side, the food import bill has grown by 8% every year over the last 10 years, reaching in 2018 a total $274.4 million. In 2010, the poverty rate in Belize was 43%, and recent estimates put the rate at 50% in 2019. As expected, because of neglect, poverty incidence is much higher in rural communities where agriculture is the principal means of sustenance.

In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic drastically weakened the national economy and exacerbated the constraints of the productive sectors including agriculture. However, the food and agricultural sector is still holding up, believe it or not, without any government assistance yet. The fact that food production and food security are not in any danger of collapsing as the other sectors is testament to the inherent strength, dedication and resilience of our farmers and rural communities. Indeed, agriculture is undeniably the backbone of our economy, and that is why most, if not all Belizeans, now understand and appreciate the strategic value of agriculture for local and national development.

We all know that agriculture is vital for Belize, not only in coping but in standing up to the rising coronavirus challenge, the economic and fiscal crisis, endemic poverty and escalating crime situation, and the increasing threats of climate change. 

A working group, representing a healthy blend of farmers and farm leaders, producers, professionals and politicians, was formed to discuss, consult with others, and put their ideas together into the development of this policy. They identified and analyzed our achievements, constraints, opportunities and other important issues that should be addressed and guide the future directions in this PUP policy.
The overall goal of this policy is to increase, diversify and sustain agricultural production, food security, income and employment generation in Belize. This goal will require increasing farm-level capacity, improving technology and innovation, raising labor productivity, and being regionally competitive. Achieving this goal will enable Belize to increase exports, reduce food imports and improve the livelihood and well-being of rural communities.

To achieve the policy goal, the working group has organized the policy priorities under the following headings and strategic actions:

  1. Focus policy implementation on import replacement and substitution, export expansion and strengthening the linkages of tourism with our local productive sectors, using public/private sector partnership (PPP) models, as the primary means to grow our national economy.
    1. Identify suitable areas for production of vegetables with effective demand in all districts.
    2. Expand and intensify production of vegetables, including use of irrigation systems, hydroponics and greenhouse technology, e.g. onions, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, chaya and cauliflower.
    3. Increase production and improve quality and diversity of dairy products: milk, cheese, icecream, yogurt and others.
    4. Increase the production and processing of grains for export: corn, rice, soybean, beans, blackeye peas, sorghum, and others.
    5. Identify ethnic commodities for niche markets abroad and promote exports to these markets, e.g. hot peppers, pumpkins, frozen fruits, plantains, coco yams, cassava, roots and tubers.
    6. Establish micro and small fruit orchards with delicious, nutritious species, for food security and possible export, by planting fruit trees for medium term and long-term production, e.g. limes, soursop, custard apple, mamey, guava, plums and sapodilla

  2. Review the entire tax system and enact reforms to have a simplified, fair, efficient and development-driven system that works for the producers and to provide incentives to the taxpayers, not only the Government, in the form of affordable financing and credit services, and other priority needs for the effective participation of the private sectors. These reforms should also promote a more equitable distribution of wealth between producers/investors and labourers.
    1. Remove GST from products that are used to produce commodities for export.
    2. Reduce taxes on fuel used to produce food for local consumption and export
    3. Remove GST on irrigation, drainage and other equipment for production.
    4. Remove GST on materials and supplies used for greenhouse technology
    5. Reduce import duties and GST on equipment and materials used in food processing, packaging and other value adding processes.
    6. Reduce taxes on spraying equipment including crop dusters

  3. Review and improve our trade policy agreements in our region and promote the export of Belizean products, both traditional exports and development of new products with export potential. We must change from being an open, import-driven economy to an open, export-driven economy.
    1. Complete the Partial Scope agreement with Mexico, to include cattle, other livestock, corn, beans and other grains.
    2. Negotiate with other Central American countries to trade on grains and other commodities, including barter commodity trading.
    3. Continue to pursue and activate/expand our trade relations among CARICOM countries.

  4. Work with the associations of the 4 traditional exports, i.e. sugar, citrus, banana and fisheries industries including shrimp, to address their constraints and mobilize investment and technical resources for expanding production and exports.
    1. Urgently review and analyze the status of the Sugar Industry with the aim to modernize the Sugar Industry Act to ensure inclusivity and fairness to all stakeholders, in order to make the industry competitive and sustainable.
    2. Encourage and support sugar mill’s investment in the production of bio-fuel (ethanol) and legislate that at least 10-15% of national fuel consumption be locally produced bio-fuel (ethanol).
    3. Strengthen and empower the Sugar Industry Control Board, farmer associations and their respective implementing bodies to carry out their functions and responsibilities as mandated by law to ensure fairness, efficiency and equity among all stakeholders of the industry.
    4. Work with the Citrus Growers Association (CGA) and Belize Citrus Mutual (BCM) in facilitating access to capital for the propagation of disease tolerant/resistant plants to distribute to the citrus growers, replanting citrus orchards with better genetic material, and diversifying with alternative and complementary cropping systems.
    5. Work very closely with farmers in the south and Citrus Products of Belize to expand the processing of other local fruits into fruit concentrate for local use and exports: e.g. limes, pineapple, mango, soursop, passion fruit etc.
    6. Assist the banana growers to address their “seed”, disease and other production constraints, and most importantly the international marketing issues.
    7. Work with the key stakeholders in fisheries, including fishers, cooperatives and fishing communities, to focus on effective regulatory, managerial and monitoring solutions for over-fishing, long term stock conservation, marine protected areas, international marketing agreements, cooperative management issues, regional cooperation mechanisms, and other fisheries priority areas.
    8. Review the financial status of the Shrimp Industry with the aim of interceding on behalf of Shrimp producers with financial Institutions for any financial relief in terms of moratoriums on payments, interest reduction and refinancing together with the injection of fresh capital to enable the shrimp farms to migrate to the alternative, bio-secure, modern, efficient and intensive production system resulting in rebound in shrimp production.
    9. Seek to attract new and emerging lucrative niche markets with our trading partners.
    10. Will lobby with BEL for the consideration and introduction of Industrial rates for heavy energy consumers to enhance competitiveness.
    11. Review BAHA’s regulatory fees for all agricultural and food exports with the aim of streamlining costs to stimulate production, export and improve competitiveness.

  5. Improve access to affordable financing for farmers by working with credit unions and commercial banks to offer better lending and repayment conditions to farmers, in terms of low interest loans and providing incentives and other support for local agricultural producers.
    1. Much needed refinancing will be required for farmers to continue operations.
    2. Fresh injection of capital to kick start production to increase export capacity.
    3. Loans for increase vegetable production using improved technology.
    4. Loans for processing and value adding equipment.

  6. Build resilience to climate change disasters and risks through education, preparation, diversification and innovative climate-smart systems of land use, in particular for the small producers and farmers in high-risk prone regions of the country.
    1. Develop institutional capacities and provide training to farmers on climate-smart systems and practices
    2. Expand the use of irrigation, hydroponics and greenhouse technology to produce high quality vegetables
    3. Mobilize financing from international finance institutions and other organizations interested in sustainable agriculture, agroforestry, the environment and resource conservation, climate change management, climate-smart agriculture and risk management innovations.

  7. Develop and forge partnerships with renowned universities, regional and international institutions to mobilize investment for R&D to adapt technology, irrigation, germplasm, seedling propagation, integrated pest and disease management, “green” pesticides, food processing and value adding and technical extension for farmers through on-site demonstrations and farmer training schools.
    1. Development/updating of sub-sector policies, strategies and development plans, based on science, empirical data and/or good practice, e.g. hemp, marijuana, processing and storage systems, and databases and e-agriculture.
    2. Reprogram and invigorate Central Farm and other research units to carry out research in relevant interventions and needs, as demanded by the farmers, producers, exporters and investors.
    3. SIRDI must continue to further research in sugar cane in, e.g. irrigation, integrated pest management, new varieties, harvesting regimes and transportation systems, in order to increase productivity and profitability in all phases of the industry.
    4. On farm research, field trials and demonstration plots must be done across the country with farmers to determine and test adoptability and adoption constraints.

  8. Grow and produce more of what we eat and promote more consumption of what we grow, as food and feed imports amount to an average $200m per annum. Belizeans farmers and processors should be able to replace or substitute at least 50% of those foods and feed imports in the next 5 years. (similar to import substitution)
    1. Promote and implement backyard garden systems in the villages, towns and cities.
    2. Increase the production of small family plots and small orchards with delicious, nutritious fruit trees.
    3. Provide on-site and virtual training on the use of small-scale backyard planting and other technologies to take advantage of the surge in interest by Belizeans to plant in their backyards.
    4. A re-invigorated Central Farm and district extension services will produce seeds and seedlings of nutritious and easy-to-grow greens (i.e. miracle tree, chaya, callaloo spinach), vegetables (tomato and okra), tubers (i.e. cassava and cocoyam) and various fruits trees, and sell them at an affordable price to farmers and backyard gardeners.
    5. Organize and assist farmers, farmer cooperatives and associations to supply and flood tourist establishments, hotels, restaurants and supermarkets across Belize.
    6. Review the import policies with BAHA, Public Health Dept, and Dept of Environment to enact and apply regulations and adjust import duties where necessary to restrict the entry of poor quality, unhealthy and environment-unfriendly products.
    7. Massive propaganda advertising and urging people to eat local and avoid cheap, poor quality food imports.

  9. Rebuild the agriculture sector through the teaching of agriculture at all levels of education on the importance of agriculture, promote the growing of crops in school and at home, producing their own food snacks, and explaining why as a society of Belize must invest, be productive and apply more business principles in agriculture.
    1. Working with University of Belize to transform and invigorate its agriculture campus in Central Farm
    2. Increasing the number of schools doing school gardens and demonstrations
    3. Including school gardening and agriculture as a part of the curriculum
    4. Training on basic food processing techniques and practical lessons in school.

  10. Reduce food loss and waste by improving storage and logistic facilities and investing in the development of new products from the by-products and waste at the local and community levels, i.e. value adding and processing technologies, by:
    1. Partnering and investing with friendly countries to commence processing and value adding of fruits and vegetables, e.g. French potato fries, tomato and mango products.
    2. Expanding coconut water, coconut oil, coconut milk and other by-products made from this important and well adapted crop.
    3. Training personnel in processed foods enhancement skills and preparing quality products for the tourism market and high-end income consumers.
    4. Training livestock farmers to improve quality, meat cuts and flavour of meat catering to the tourism sector.

  11. Improve our trade and market intelligence for international access and market penetration, to enable improved decision-making on investment and production.
    1. Strengthening the skills of producer associations, entrepreneurs and investors in effectively accessing and using trade and market intelligence for business decisions;
    2. Working with local trade and investment support institutions to improve their trade and market intelligence-related services;
    3. Developing new and innovative approaches to intelligence gathering, analysis and utilization, and managing up-dated empirical databanks.
    4. Facilitating evidence-based policy reform, with a focus on addressing tariff and non-tariff obstacles to trade in agricultural and food products and materials.

Our working group also identified rural infrastructure, the environment and natural resource conservation/biodiversity, and mitigation of climate change, as policy priorities for agriculture. However, these are covered separately and presented in other policies.

All farmers, no matter your race, creed or political affiliation, we want you to grow, to thrive and to work together, i.e. the small farmers, the medium size and the large-scale farmers. Logically, the type of support, training and cooperation, that each grouping needs, are different and therefore the strategy will have to differ for each. What is clear for us – nobody will be overlooked or undermined in the work of our Government.

The basic strategy to improve the livelihoods is by raising the productivity of labour, which requires a combination of enhancing the knowledge and skills of the farmers and producers, investing in proper tools and equipment, and using appropriate technology and innovation to improve yield, marketing and profitability. Herein is our best option to knock out poverty and crime for good in rural areas.

Government and the private sector will practice team work from planning to implementation and evaluation of the agricultural policy and strategies. And we shall work together, and with the international community, to use all the available human, technical and financial resources in the best ways possible to achieve our mutual objectives. We shall usher in a new culture of partnership and new norms of governance in the agricultural sector.

To execute this policy, the Ministry of Agriculture will require the full cooperation of other important ministries, and therefore the new Government will put in place a national planning and monitoring mechanism to ensure that strategies, programs and resources are developed and managed across the government to produce the desired outcomes and impact.

We will have to invest more, but also be more cost-effective in using our limited resources, if we are to achieve our national policy goal.

We will review our staff competencies, discard old and useless programs, adopt real management by objective and for results, and routinely practice annual evaluations of staff and projects, and focus on mobilizing resources locally, nationally and internationally. Waste, incompetence and redundancy will end, and the private sector and you the media will help us by holding our feet and hands to the fire.

The timely and efficient implementation of the PUP-led Government policy will result in the following expected outcomes and impact during the first 5 years:

  • The capacity for good governance, leadership and management will be improved. We will learn from and emulate other governments who rank among the best in the world.
  • The annual value of exports will be increased by at least 10% every year, with the objective of reaching $700 m in 5 years.
  • The annual value of food imports will be reduced to $100 m per annum in year 5. In year 5, our famers and producers will earn an additional income of approximately $450 m every year from the additional exports and reduced food imports.
  • The agricultural and food sector will employ at least 30% of the labor force. Most of this demand will be met by rural communities, including women and youth, but the multiplying effects will be felt in urban communities in terms of the increased demand for manufacturing and services.
  • The incidence of poverty, particularly in rural areas, will be cut in half, from approximately 50% of the rural population to 25%, in 5 years. Although the big push will come from agriculture’s contribution, the demand for other products and services will impact directly on improving rural livelihoods.
  • Food and nutrition, in quantity and quality, combined with better education and healthcare, will increase the total productivity of our agricultural labor force.
  • Our youth will better appreciate what they can contribute, what agriculture can do for their future aspiration, and be more inclined to learn, to commit and work for the sustainable development of our agricultural and food sector.
  • Given recent developments, our agriculture sector is in desperate need of revival and rebuilding, so that its total contribution to GDP should be in the range of 25% instead of the present 13%.
With this policy, a renewed strategy and passion, and the necessary investment of resources, we can bring back agriculture, and with God’s blessings, we can make it better for all Belizeans!