FAO.org

Agriculture and tourism account for half of Belize’s gross domestic product. But both sectors are beset by challenges, aggravated in recent years by the pandemic.

The country’s tourism industry showed growth before COVID-19, but largely from cruise ship revenue rather than overnight visitors. Belize’s coastal areas feature one of the world’s largest barrier reefs – a major tourist draw. Protecting those resources and strengthening the climate resilience of the country’s coastal communities are vital.

While the country’s larger farmers produce citrus, banana and sugar worth millions of dollars in export every year, the country’s small-scale farmers struggle with low productivity and competitiveness. They are unable to access high value markets or meet international demand for certified and niche products like organic and Fairtrade. Climate challenges – drought, hurricanes, flooding – hamper the sector, often leading to agricultural damage and economic losses.

The pandemic has offered the country a chance to rethink its approach to tourism and agriculture – and to build back better. With that in mind, the Centre led the initial analysis and design of a new IDB-funded USD 15 million project that aspires to create decent jobs, improve incomes and promote sustainable livelihoods in Belize’s agriculture and tourism sectors, as well as synergies between the two.

This new project will support sustainable business plans for approximately 200 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, especially those working to reduce environmental impacts, improve climate resilience and foster digitization and innovation.

Around 1500 small farmers from low-income families under intense pressure from climate change will receive support to drive profitable, sustainable and climate-resilient farming systems. By improving the quantity and quality of agricultural goods, the project hopes to improve the country’s links to regional and international markets.

Thanks to a comprehensive, holistic approach promoting inclusion, the project will encourage greater involvement of marginalized communities and non-entrepreneurs in both sectors, especially women, youth, Indigenous Peoples and Afro-descendants.

This marks the Centre’s fourth major initiative in the last five years supporting agricultural modernization in Belize, alongside other projects funded by IFAD, the World Bank and FAO.