Belize’s Maya Golden Landscape to Benefit from FAO Biodiversity Initiative

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), with the support of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the Belizean government, launched a four-year project aimed at preserving biodiversity in the Maya Golden Landscape (MGL) of Toledo, Belize. Unveiled at Kiki Witz Resort in Belmopan, the initiative, “Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Belize’s Maya Golden Landscape,” is a joint effort between FAO and Ya’axché Conservation Trust.

The project targets farmers and organised groups from ten stakeholder communities within both protected and communal areas across the MGL. Ya’axché Conservation Trust, a leader in community-based conservation since 1998, will play a vital role in the project’s success. Key elements include developing culturally sensitive action plans for protected areas, enhancing community resource management, and providing gender-responsive training in sustainable agriculture.

CEO of Belize’s Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Dr. Kenrick Williams, highlighted the project’s pivotal role in advancing sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. The initiative will be guided by a Project Steering Committee (PSC) and a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), with an 18-month work plan outlining the project’s implementation and future collaboration.