BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – The government has officially commenced the development of Belize’s National Rural Development Strategy (NRDS) 2026–2031, representing a critical step towards establishing a cohesive policy and implementation framework to address the institutional and socio-economic challenges faced by rural communities across Belize.
The government said that the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour, and Local Government has entered into a partnership with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) to implement the NRDS, which will serve as a critical roadmap to guide intervention efforts towards sustainable and inclusive investments in Belize’s rural areas.
Rural development in Belize (File Photo)
It said the NRDS aims to promote inclusive, equitable, and sustainable rural development through targeted interventions that address rural poverty, institutional capacity, access to services, environmental resilience, and local economic development.
“This strategic initiative is being developed with financial and technical support from CABEI, in alignment with its development cooperation priorities and Belize’s national development agenda.”
The government stated that the strategy will serve as a guiding framework for itself and its development partners in planning, coordinating, and monitoring rural investments and programs.
The development of the NRDS will be led by Clio Consulting, a Latin American strategic consulting firm specialising in public management, sustainability, and ESG (environmental, social, and governance), headquartered in Chile, South America.
The preparation process will adopt a participatory and research-based approach. Stakeholder sessions will be conducted with rural communities, local governments, the private sector, community-based organizations, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders.
The strategy is expected to be completed by January 2026, the government said.
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