BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – Belize has signed a memorandum of agreement with the International Regional Organization for Health in Agriculture (OIRSA) to expand the production of natural enemies for pest control in the country’s agricultural sector.
The agreement involves the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) through its Resilient Rural Belize (RRB) Programme and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE). A government statement said both OIRSA and RRB recognize the need to adopt new agricultural technologies for a more practical approach.
“Consequently, various initiatives have been undertaken with positive outcomes for small farmers in the agriculture sector, such as this program, which will expand to new farmers and farmer groups in Belize,” the statement said.
It said that as Belize’s climate continues to warm, the frequency and severity of its effects grow, significantly impacting farmers and farm communities. This includes the increase and re-emergence of pests and disease outbreaks, threatening the country’s agriculture systems and causing scarcity in food supply.
“The expansion of the biological control program brings hope. It will assist farmers in mitigating the effects of climate damage and making their operations more resilient and sustainable in the long term while promoting the sustainable use of pesticides in the fields.
“The expansion programme also aims to increase the production of beneficial insects in the bio factory, such as the Chrysoperla carnea and the Parasitoid Trichogramma Pretiosum, so that farmers can utilize them in the field for pest control and to develop pilot projects with farmer groups from various areas of the country to reduce the use of restricted insecticides in fields. “
The statement said these beneficial insects have been proven to effectively control whiteflies, spider mites, scale insects, leaf hoppers, thrips, aphids, mealybugs, borer pests, and other soft-bodied insects.
RRB and OIRSA will promote this initiative by working with cooperatives and farmer groups from the Corozal, Orange Walk, Belize, and Cayo districts. They will also partner with the Pesticides Control Board, the Cooperatives Department, and MAFSE to facilitate educational workshops and pilot projects, demonstrating the effectiveness of the approach and encouraging farmers to use it as an alternative to their current farming practices.
“Strengthening collaboration to expand this program to all cooperatives working with RRB will enable them to use this innovative technology and approach, thus enhancing the agricultural sector safely and intelligently. The Ministry of Economic Development, through the RRB program, will invest approximately BZ$250,000 (One BDZ$ = US$0.49 cents) in this endeavor,” the statement added.
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