The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise in collaboration with the Food & Agriculture Organization signed today the Country Programming Framework (CPF) 2022 – 2026.

This strategic document presents the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) key areas of technical cooperation, and medium-term country-level programming in support of the Government of Belize. The document was developed within the framework of the United Nations programming processes, including the UN-Common Country Analysis and the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for the Caribbean and the global Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The CPF also reflects on the country’s Plan Belize, and COVID-19 Economy Recovery Strategy along with other national and strategic documents related to agriculture, food and nutritional security and rural development. The CPF 2022 – 2026 sets out the lines of cooperation that FAO will provide over the next four years and is aimed at advancing Belize’s national development priorities with in three strategic areas of work.

These strategic areas include:

i. inclusive food systems for eradication of malnutrition and food insecurity towards providing healthy diets for all

ii. sustainable and inclusive agri-food systems and agricultural value chains to achieve prosperous and inclusive rural societies

iii. and resilience to climate and economic shocks through sustainable natural resources management.

The intended changes will be realized by strengthening the capacity of government stakeholders such as extension officers to support farmers to supply local markets and social protection programs such as the school feeding program. The focus will be placed on developing and implementing policy frameworks and accountability mechanisms to enable access by all to safe and nutritious foods, end hunger and all forms of malnutrition as well as Improving institutional capacities to enhance nutrition awareness to reduce the incidence of Non communicable diseases.

The Strategic Areas of Work as identified in CPF 2022 – 2026 will benefit from best practices developed by FAO at the national and regional levels as well as international technical standards promoted by FAO in its member countries. FAO will maximize its comparative advantage, leverage synergies, and increase effectiveness in collaboration with other United Nations agencies.

Present at the signing was Minister of Agriculture the Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, FAO Representative for Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Belize Dr. Crispim Morreira, Birgit Gerstenberg UN Resident Coordinator in Belize, Tracey Hutchinson Strategic Planning officer and the Republic of El Salvador, and other Senior Agricultural staff.