The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture IICA held its yearly review on its achievements on Thursday of last week at the George Price Center for Peace and Development in Belmopan and in doing so revealed a road map in moving forward in Belize. Present for this meeting were officials from various Government Ministries, such as from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture as well as various stakeholders that are working to ensure Belize’s food security.
IICA currently operates in 34 countries and has its headquarters in Costa Rica. IICA is a specialized agency of the Inter-American system that focuses on meeting the needs of these Countries in making agriculture competitive and sustainable; to improve the lives of rural dwellers. As explained by Diego Montenegro, IICA’s Director of Management and Regional Integration, at the meeting last week, the organization faces four main challenges that need to be incorporated in the coming years. The first of these challenges for IICA is on how the citizenry of developing countries will be fed, the second is the change in climatic patterns, the third is how to turn agriculture into a productive business activity and the fourth is on how to make agriculture sustainable and inclusive “…as the current agriculture practices are not the way to go.”
Fortunately, IICA possesses various areas of strengths, such as in the development of policies and strategies, the tasking of methodologies that can be applied in the field, the carrying out of capacity building processes for project development, project management, consensus building among stakeholders, and an ability to create information networks. Just as an example of the latter, both IICA and the United States Department of Agriculture USDA were able to develop a regional project on marketing information that is internet based. But as one of its valuable strengths, IICA is able to draw from a wide selection of experts in the agricultural field and deploy them to areas that need their expertise.
In addressing representatives from various Government and Non-Government Organizations, Maximiliano Ortega, Specialist in Technology and Innovation at IICA Belize, informed that techniques like row and distance planting were taught to farmers in the South of Belize in 2014 and work began in 2013 in the development of a National Agriculture and Food Policy. Early last year IICA facilitated training for 25 persons on how climate change can be included in the planning process. Most recently, reports Maximiliano Ortega, IICA Belize has been promoting participation in the Americas in the Codex Alimentarius, a set of standards in terms of export and trade.
“This year we found out that Belize has limited participation in Codex matters,” reports Maximiliano Ortega, even though in 2014 a National Codex focal point was strengthened in Belize.
Another achievement for IICA Belize this year is the holding of a forum on family farming for corn and beans farmers in the South.
Fundamental to the transformation are the behind the scenes networking and the development of linkages between IICA and the various Government Ministries. IICA’s office in Belize is also accessible at number 24 Orchid Garden in Belmopan.
As revealed by Jean Lowry, IICA’s Belize Representative, Belize has genetic species that are unique to Belize and they must be captured and utilized in the best possible way; a target that IICA is looking at achieving in the next four years. Recent discussions on these genetic materials have centered on them having geographic indicators such as is the case of some cacao crops. Some researchers have spotted unique cacao plants deep in the jungle of Belize; varieties that could add to the dwindling gene pool of cacao now being mass produced in other parts of the World.
The complete set of genetic material of any plants species defines its germplasm. While the disappearance of various forms of germplasm, places the food security of future generations at risk, the good news is that 7 of the 17 countries in the World that are known to be mega diverse are in the Americas.
“Germplasm and biodiversity have become issues that are critical,” says Diego Montenegro.
“We have to incorporate our strategic planning so that germplasm can first be used to feed our population and to help other germplasm banks in the World, to be able to produce better food and more safe foods.”
Other partnerships that IICA and Belize could develop in coming years look promising. Diego Montenegro tells the Guardian that IICA has identified several areas of work in Belize, such as in livestock; to satisfy the ever growing demand for meat in the developing World. (Meat consumption in the developing World has increased by 34%) IICA will also work in the sugar cane industry, based on the financing mechanism that has been developed with the European Union. IICA will also continue working with small farmers. One important area of work for IICA in Belize will be to integrate water management, drainage and irrigation. IICA will also support the Government of Belize to come up with a comprehensive policy to promote sustainable and competitive agriculture.
