FAO projects in Belize

National projects

FAO projects in Belize focus on the following key areas:

  water resources management policy and legislation
  forest management, including support to national parks
  IPM and seed improvement for hot pepper production
  domestic food production for import substitution
  assistance to the agricultural census
  sustainable aquaculture and fisheries management
  agricultural diversification in the north
  strengthening agricultural research
  emergency assistance following hurricanes and cholera

There have also been several initiatives to develop agricultural information and marketing systems, and to promote rural development in the poorer southern regions. Other important projects include control of the Mediterranean Fruit fly and African bee, and the establishment of a mandatory health certification scheme for citrus.

Regional projects

An important regional programme supported by FAO was the Caribbean Amblyomma Programme, or CAP, which was responsible for the eradication of the tropical bont tick. This enabled nations in the region to move forward in the development of their beef and dairy sectors. Other initiatives included support to regional agricultural information, communication and marketing programmes, regional environment and fisheries management and emergency assistance following hurricanes and flooding.