Belize Covered Structure and Capacity Enhancement Project
Funded by the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF)
Implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise
Grant Agreement – Component 4 of Belize 2nd Cycle Country Assistance Programme
GRANT No. BZE/G0009
COVERED STRUCTURES – SUPPORT TO SMALL DISADVANTAGED FARMERS
- THE PROJECT
The provision of a CDF grant to the Government of Belize for the acquisition of materials and construction assistance for at least 30 greenhouse structures, as well as the provision of capacity enhancing vegetable production training to at least 50 farmers, targeting women and disadvantaged youth in rural or depressed communities.
- OBJECTIVE
The key objective of this project is to raise the volume of vegetables on the local market that are produced under covered structures, by not less than 2.0 per cent of the 2017 level by end of 2022 and improve the consistency of production while increasing the incomes and the quality of life for beneficiaries under the project.
The specific objectives are to:
- Increase the efficiency of vegetable production under covered structures by improving the construction design and irrigation systems of at least 30 structures by end of 2022.
- Increase capacity building of extension personnel and farmers involved in the production of vegetables under covered structures by the hosting of at least 2 workshops for at least 10 extension personnel and 50 farmers.
- EXECUTING AGENCY – The Ministry Agriculture, Food Security & Enterprise
- RATIONALE
Vegetable production is seasonal in Belize which with the adverse effects of climate change can be negatively affected by unseasonal drought or flood conditions. Additionally, pest problems characteristically manifest themselves during dry periods while wet periods propagate diseases especially in waterlogged soil conditions. Under these conditions, vegetable production becomes sub optimal resulting in supply shortages in the domestic market. Higher market prices for and imports of vegetable are often the consequence, thereby lowering nutrition of disadvantaged social groups and/or consuming foreign exchange through imports. It is therefore essential to overcome these constraints by securing and increasing vegetable production during these unseasonal periods. Greenhouses is covered structures cultivation which creates a controlled environment is the most workable means towards achieving the desired results. Covered Structures provide the advantage of crop protection from direct rain, sun, wind as well as pest and diseases. This type of production also enables farmers to achieve year-round production as opposed to seasonal production thereby addressing the inconsistency of supply. Sheltered cultivation through better management of diseases, water, and mineral supplies, ensures better yield than cultivating in the open field and generally improves quality and attractiveness of farm produce and improves prospects for even better prices.
Additionally, greenhouses enable production on smaller land spaces achieving significantly greater volumes of output per unit of arable land space due to intensive crop spacing and rotation techniques. Further, rainwater harvesting systems and irrigation are easily employed by the farmers to not only collect water for their farm usage but also for their domestic consumption. Ensuring the optimum and timely supply of nutrients to the crop is critical to maximizing yield. The availability of water using an irrigation system designed with a fertigation mechanism yields favorable result under protected structures.
Selection Criteria: Beneficiaries will be chosen based on a series of mandatory and secondary criteria as outlined in the application/nomination document. Please review this document before making the application/nomination.
Selection Criteria for the Belize Covered Structure and Capacity Enhancement Project funded by the Caribbean Development Fund (CDF) and Implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise
Project beneficiaries has been defined to be;
Beneficiaries will comprise male, female and youth inhabitants of small farm holdings in rural villages that have the willingness and potential for improving productivity and access to markets. Among all beneficiaries, women (male or female) and youth participation is expected to be at least 50% Therefore, youth and female participation is expected in all key programme interventions.
Specifically,
- Registered producer on the Belize Agriculture Information Management Systems (BAIMS)
- Resides and conducting farming operation in a rural community in Belize.
- Having ownership or lease land tenure status. (If none of the above is available, potential beneficiaries will be allowed to present a letter signed by a Justice of the Peace indicating long time use of the land and/or permission to do so from the owner).
- Existing vegetable producer (producing crops commonly grown under structures in Belize)
- Have access to suitable and required quantities of water for irrigation.
- Willing to collaborate with Extension Service by participating in training sessions and allow for exchange visits by other farmers/students.
- Ability to successfully fund and operate the facility
Additional considerations
- Be a member of a farmer organization (formal or informal).
- A farmer organization proposing to utilize for collective benefit of the group (Nursery, etc.)
- Not a beneficiary of a similar project where the structure was misused or under-utilized.
- Have previous experience with covered structures or had one damaged by natural disaster.
- Farmer-of-the-year nominee or finalist within the last 5 years.
The selected beneficiaries will NOT be required to meet all the requirements but will be evaluated based on the number of criteria that they meet.
The forms can be picked up from the Agriculture Department in your district or downloaded below:
Please drop off completed application/Nomination forms to the nearest Agriculture Department or email to nccard@agriculture.gov.bz
Deadline for Application/Nomination: March 20th, 2021
