The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise in collaboration with the Taiwan ICDF Breeding Sheep and Goat Production and Guidance System Enhancement Project (Sheep Project Phase II) held a “Sheep Management Field Day” at the farm of Mr. Leovijildo Wicab in San Felipe Village, Orange Walk, on April 22, 2022.

The event had the participation of 25 sheep and goat farmers, extension officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, the project manager and specialist from the Taiwan Technical Mission in Belize as well as other interested parties from both the Orange Walk and Corozal districts. The field day included demonstrations in forage cutting, supplemental feeding, sheep barn, record keeping, animal husbandry and mutton dishes serving.

An experienced sheep farmer, Mr. Wicab demonstrated his daily farm management activities, which fulfils an objective of the project that involves farmers teaching farmers.

The Sheep Project Phase II includes a US$3 million budget for the four-year implementation that was signed by the governments of Belize and the Republic of China (Taiwan) in March 2020. The objectives include, among others, to continue to assist Belizean farmers to further improve the quality of their sheep and goats, to conduct a market study and value chain analysis to promote consumption and market penetration for sheep and goat products, and to strengthen the sheep and goat traceability system to improve value chain efficiencies.