Agriculture - Channel 5 Belize

Belize’s coconut industry set to flourish with new FAO global initiative

The FAO’s One Country, One Priority Product (OCOP) Initiative has kicked off its inception workshop, marking the beginning of a comprehensive project aimed at bolstering Belize’s coconut value chain. This global endeavor will facilitate the formulation of a thorough value chain analysis and a three-year sector development plan specifically tailored for coconuts in Belize.

On April 9, stakeholders from various sectors, including government bodies, non-governmental organisations, civil society representatives, project task force members, prominent technical experts, OCOP focal points, and FAO personnel from 11 project countries, congregated virtually to inaugurate this transformative project. The inception workshop focused on delineating project objectives, anticipated outcomes, major activities, and scrutinising the detailed project implementation roadmap and budget.

Participants at the OCOP Inception Workshop

The OCOP initiative, a flagship program of the FAO, is engineered to aid Member Countries in transitioning towards more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems by fortifying the value chains of Special Agricultural Products (SAPs). By championing sustainable practices in the production, storage, processing, and marketing of selected SAPs, OCOP contributes significantly to the empowerment of smallholders and family farms, in alignment with FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022–31 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Funded by the FAO Flexible Voluntary Contribution (FVC), the global project is slated for implementation from March 1, 2024, to December 31, 2025, with a total allocation of USD 1 million. Eleven countries stand to benefit from this initiative, each focusing on promoting a distinct SAP. These countries and their chosen SAPs encompass:

Belize (coconut) and Jamaica (ginger) from Latin America and the Caribbean.
– South Sudan (sorghum), Togo (rice), and Zambia (onion) from Africa.
– Bhutan (Quinoa) and Nepal (large cardamom) from Asia and the Pacific.
– Kyrgyzstan (walnut) and Tajikistan (apricot) from Europe and Central Asia.
– Algeria (fig) and Lebanon (pulse) from the Near East and North Africa.

The primary aim of this project is to augment food security, livelihoods, environmental sustainability, and income generation for rural communities through the sustainable development of special agricultural product value chains.

With the participation of over 110 stakeholders, the inception workshop provided a platform for deliberating project implementation and exchanging challenges and priorities concerning the OCOP initiative at regional and national levels. To date, approximately 15 million has been mobilised to support 54 countries.

Activities in Belize entail the mobilization of a national task force and the formulation of a collaborative work plan in tandem with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise since the launch of the regional OCOP.

Belize Federation of Fishers Advisor Concerned Over Lobster Population

Belize’s fisheries stocks, particularly the lobster population, could be in a critical state within a few years, says an advisor with the Belize Federation of Fishers. The spokesman told News that there is data that suggests that if steps are not taken from now to reverse the overfishing of this marine product. Today, the Federation took part in a workshop held by the Earth Journalism Network, which looked at marine stocks, and problems that the marine industry faces because of overfishing, illegal fishing and related practices. George Myvett is a voluntary advisor with the federation. He paints a grim picture of how Belize’s lobster industry could decline if we do not put measures in place to give the lobster population to reproduce.

George Myvett, Voluntary Advisor, Belize Federation of Fishers

“In Belize, depending on who and when you speak to them, there are over four thousand commercial fishers. One of the issues with this is that Belize has what is referred to as an open-access fishery, meaning there is no limit to the amount of fishers in the industry. One of the recent policy changes that has happened…could crash in as little as three years.”

Farmers of the Year Announced

The Farmers of the Year for 2024 have been announced. The National Agriculture and Trade Show Committee has named Nandy Aldana of the Corozal District as the Senior Farmer of the Year. The Female Farmer of the Year is Sarah Chub of the Belize District, and the Junior Farmer of the Year is Maura Esther Escobar of the Cayo District. The three winning farmers will be recognized during the National Agriculture and Trade Show, which will be held from April twenty-sixth to the twenty-eighth. This year’s theme is “Integrating Sustainable Food Systems: Mitigating Climate Change, Strengthening Agricultural Resilience”.

B.S.C.F.A. Responds to B.S.I.’s Position on COI

Last night, we told you that A.S.R./B.S.I. denounced Prime Minister John Briceño’s decision to launch a Commission of Inquiry into the sugar industry. It was gazetted on March nineteenth, prompting a statement from the multinational company. The miller contends that the decision is politically motivated and erodes B.S.I.’s investor confidence. Today, members of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association’s executive team were present for day two of the budget debate inside the National Assembly. They were there to support Jose Mai, the Minister of Agriculture and a member of the B.S.C.F.A. Alfredo Ortega, the Vice Chairman of the Committee of Management commented on B.S.I.’s position.

Alfredo Ortega, Vice Chairman, BSCFA

“Like in any case it is a pity they behave in that way because in all, before they had said that they want to put two commissioners on which they had named them, from Brazil two join the other three persons from Marishous. So they were on board long before this thing with the commission of inquiry. It is nothing new, so it is a pity to hear from them now on this date that they will be coming out and say they will not support the commission of inquiry. I think that the prime minister has to take better steps and better decision in regards to this commission of inquiry, because as you can recall, the prime minister and the minister of agriculture have mentioned many times that once the commission of inquiry brings out their information that information will be used by the cane farmers, not only the BSCFA but the other associations to get better commercial agreements and also it will assist the Government of Belize to produce a modernized sugar industry. So to us the BSCFA is not a surprise, but we believe that Belize should not admit that multinationals comes and place in our throats or in our mouths what they want things to happen in their way. Belize is a nation of laws and rules and rules must prevail. If, look, I will use this example, whenever a Belizean opens a small business and GST gets to know there is a business, they come directly to the business and investigate so that person can pay their GST. So if they do that to small Belizean people, why shouldn’t they do that to the multinationals?”

“If they want to go, let them leave”, B.S.C.F.A. to B.S.I.

In its release, A.S.R./B.S.I. noted that it will have to reevaluate its options in Belize. Well, B.S.C.F.A. says if A.S.R. wants to leave Belize then let them leave. Ortega says, the industry will not collapse in the absence of A.S.R.

Alfredo Ortega, Vice Chairman, B.S.C.F.A.

“Of course yes, if we the BSCFA were prepared to buy the mill we had the money in hand ready to do so. It is a pity that the government at the time didn’t give us the opportunity to buy it over but rather they chose to give it to BSI. So if they want to go, let them leave. The industry will not die because they want to leave. There are other investors that want to come into the country. But because the design of the Sugar Industry Act, many of them that come just go away because as it is in the monopoly of BSI/ASR. SO we are not afraid if they want to pack and go because we know that will never happen. They are just trying to threaten us and the government so that we fall at their knees and do as they please.”

B.S.C.F.A. Says PM has Moral Responsibility to Sugar Industry

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister told reporters that he does not listen to B.S.C.F.A. press conference. As you may be aware, the association holds a number of press conferences to ventilate its concerns to the public. They also use the opportunity to get across direct messages to political leaders like PM Briceño. The association did just that on Tuesday. We asked Ortega for his response to the PM’s remarks.

Alfredo Ortega, Vice Chairman, B.S.C.F.A.

“The prime minister well knew before he was elected how the sugar industry was. He was the one who said that once he is elected he would work for the betterment of the sugar industry, that the industry would be one of his priority that he would be creating the marketing committee in the first one hundred days of government. That has not happened as yet. So, we do believe that as the prime minister of this country to look over the sugar industry and to see that the industry has the necessary tools for it to be viable.”

Reporter

“Who is not listening to your press conferences is the prime minister. He said so yesterday, what is your response to that?”

Alfredo Ortega

“Well it is a pity that now that he is elected to give that type of response. I think that as the leader of the country he has a moral responsibility to the sugar industry.”

Minister of Agriculture Says COI is What is Best for Sugar Industry

During his contributions to the budget debate, Jose Mai, the Minister of Agriculture, confirmed that he and Prime Minister John Briceño have a difference in opinion over the commission of inquiry into the sugar industry. Mai noted that the commission of inquiry has been gazetted and as a result is now law. He further stated that while there is resistance, he believes this is what is best for the industry.

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture

“The recent protest was handled well. It would have been under the UDP the security forces would have been led by some rough neck UDP, man handle the cane farmers, they would have roughed them up, have their guns raised and let us remember who shot to death Anastacio Guiterrez of Asan Victor, Prime Minister Barrow refused to meet with cane farmers to address the matter. This is unlike our PM who cl4early we do have difference of opinion, but nevertheless have taken his time to meet with both sides and I am hopeful we will put this sugarcane matter to rest. And while there were some delays with the signing of the commission of inquiry, it has been signed and it is law. We do expect resistance but again I am convinced we all want the best for this industry.”

BSI says COI is an assault on its business interests

Belize Sugar Industries Limited fired off a press release saying that it denounces a commission of inquiry into its private affairs. BSI says that Prime Minister John Briceño announced the Commission of Inquiry (COI) “with a mandate to delve into the private affairs of BSI, with the sole purpose of providing ammunition for one cane farmer association, the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA), to continue its relentless effort to coerce BSI to pay more for cane without any economic or business justification.”

BSI asserts that the three other cane farmers’ associations that represent “roughly half the cane do not support the COI.”

According to BSI, “This decision is politically driven and totally erodes ASR’s investor confidence as the largest US investor in Belize and undermines representations made by the Government of Belize to ASR in 2012 that it would receive fair treatment.”

BSI says that it will not be compelled to “produce proprietary and confidential commercial information, the rights over which are protected by law.”

“BSI sees this Commission of Inquiry as a further assault on its business interests and outright bad faith by the government.”

B.S.C.F.A. Says Prime Minister Making “Petty Excuses”

The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association is accusing Prime Minister John Briceño of lying to them. On January fourth, the association entered into a written agreement with the Prime Minister that brought an end to protests organized by cane farmers in Orange Walk. In the agreement, Prime Minister Briceño committed that a commission of inquiry would be established within three months of the signing of the agreement. Well, more than seventy days have passed, and that commission is yet to be operationalized. B.S.C.F.A. demanded that the commission be established to investigate the inner workings of the industry and to provide recommendations for its modernization. When reporters asked the Prime Minister about the delays, he noted that consultations need to be held with the other three associations, before the commission can commence its work. This prompted a press release from B.S.C.F.A. calling on PM Briceño to, ‘stay on track’. And today, the association called a press conference at their headquarters to say that the prime minister is making petty excuses.

Alfredo Ortega, Vice-Chairman, B.S.C.F.A.

“We are very upset with his comments, his interview, the words that he used, because if you can recall in January fourth when we were in negotiations with BSI when he was one of the main characters in the negotiations between us and BSI, he signed a document with us in which he committed himself, he committed his government that within thirty days, after the signature of the fourth of January, that the commission of inquiry would be starting their work. And, we have the document that he signed. So, he is not knowledgeable to what he said. He knows very well. Now he comes out to say proper consultation was not done. Consultations was done long before. Consultations was done from July of last year. Even in the document he says that Cabinet has already approved for the commission of inquiry to do their work.”

Javier Keme, Chairman, B.S.C.F.A. Finance Committee

“Two associations chose to participate, which was the Northern Association and BSCFA and Progressive and BSI chose not to participate. They were invited several times to participate in meetings, discussing the terms of reference of the commission of inquiry, consultations, and invitation to participate. They chose not to participate. That was their choice. Now their was an event that went further. During the negotiations for the commercial agreement, it came out that BSI is ok with the commission of inquiry provided that they are given the opportunity to name two commissioners. How will he say that these entities were not consulted and he is accepting himself that BSI has named two commissioners to form part of the commission group. This is absorbing the way he put his statements. These are petty excuses. And i want to highlight this as well, that in disrespecting the cane farmers, he disrespected a team that he authorized to work on this commission of inquiry terms of reference. He was the one that authorized this work to start from the beginning. And in his statement he disrespected them that they didn’t do the job he told them to do.”

Sugarcane Farmers Calls PM Briceño A Liar

Doubling down on their position, Ortega plainly stated that the association believes Prime Minister Briceño lied to cane farmers and Belizeans to put an end to the protest actions. Ortega also cautioned PM Briceño, contending that sugarcane farmers possess the power to significantly influence the outcome of the 2025 general elections in Orange Walk Central.

Alfredo Ortega, Vice-Chairman, B.S.C.F.A.

“As you can see we have reached March and the signing of the document was in January. Thirty days was in February. So we have long past due that. Now that we have reached this stage and we have listened, because first we were waiting for the government or the prime minister to declare, because he said in his interview on Friday that he is the one in charge to declare the commission of inquiry. We were waiting for that, but when we listened to what he said on Friday we can clearly say he lied to us, he lied to the cane farmers and that is why we are here. We want to clearly see how the prime minister behaves, lying to the cane farmers, lying to us, lying to the Belizean people on his statements he said that we are not the only association. When we were negotiating and he was the one leading the negotiation between us and BSI, he was the one that was brining out some of these things for us to negotiate and reach a point that is beneficial to us and that is why he signed these documents. This is something I want to put very clear, because of the outcome of the town council election he comes and beats his chest that he gets an overwhelming support and he gave the sense like it is the farmers that gave the overwhelming support. Let me remind him that in town is a very small percentage of cane farmers that voted for the town council election and let us put it very clear, the town council results came by the works the council is doing, not by him.”