Belizean EARTH Graduate Leads Food Security Research in Belize

Belizean 2015 graduate of EARTH University’s Agricultural Sciences programme and an alumnus of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, Shamir Carrillo, says the institution’s values continue to shape his work in sustainable farming and food security.

Carrillo has worked across several key agricultural sectors in Belize, including the sugarcane industry, and other roles that allowed him to manage major operations in crop production and farm logistics.

“It was really enlightening to see that having several years of both theory and practice at EARTH made me feel knowledgeable about many technical aspects and practices of the farm, from land preparation and harvest to preparing for the export market,” Carrillo said.

Now the Station Manager at Central Farm Station under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise, Carrillo leads research focused at improving rural prosperity and advancing food security in Belize.

“EARTH it has been one step ahead of most institutions. As agents of change, we have always valued sustainable agriculture, those are the main objectives the professors put into our minds. The whole idea of conserving the environment and finding solutions and not just signaling the problems, those were key concepts in our courses,” Carrillo added.