Agriculture Minister Jose Mai advocates for agricultural resilience at 44th IICA Executive Committee Meeting in Costa Rica

Posted: Wednesday, July 24, 2024. 4:02 pm CST.

Minister of Agriculture, Jose Abelardo Mai, at the 44^th Regular Meeting of the Executive Committee for the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in San José, Costa Rica – Photo Credit: MAFSE

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise, Jose Abelardo Mai, advocated for agricultural resilience at the 44^th Regular Meeting of the Executive Committee for the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in San José, Costa Rica on Monday and Tuesday, July 22-23.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise (MAFSE) said that ‘recognized for his expertise and leadership’, Minister Mai was nominated as Rapporteur for this Executive Meeting by the Minister of Agriculture of the Dominican Republic.

A rapporteur is a person appointed by an organization to report on the proceedings of its meetings.

During the meeting, Minister Mai addressed critical issues affecting agriculture in Belize and the broader region. He highlighted the severe impacts of migration on Belize’s agriculture sector, noting significant losses in citrus, bananas, and sugarcane production, and increased labor costs.

Minister Mai discussed the growing threat of climate change, detailing losses faced by farmers due to erratic rainfall and increased temperatures affecting crop pollination and fruit set. He noted the rise in pest and disease incidences due to favorable micro-climates. He said these worsen the challenges farmers have in growing fruit trees, vegetables, and grains.

Minister of Agriculture, Jose Abelardo Mai (4th from left), at the 44^th Regular Meeting of the Executive Committee for the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in San José, Costa Rica – Photo Credit: MAFSE

The Agriculture Minister expressed concern about the spread of the New World Screw Worm, urging immediate action from IICA and the International Regional Organization for Plant and Animal Health (OIRSA) to put a stop to this pest, which threatens Belize’s growing $90 million cattle trade with Mexico.

The New World Screw Worm, which causes a high mortality in animals, was eradicated from Central America, including Belize, in the nineties but after attacking Colombia recently, the pest has resurfaced in Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.

Expressing solidarity, he sympathized with Caribbean member states devastated by Hurricane Beryl and emphasized the need for collective support and resilience-building.

Minister Mai endorsed IICA’s proposal for the Hemispheric Fund for Agriculture Resilience and Sustainability, aimed at supporting member states in building resilience and recovering from natural disasters.

Minister Mai was accompanied by MAFSE Chief Executive Officer Servulo Baeza, who engaged in high-level discussions on strategic planning and agricultural policy implementation, underscoring Belize’s proactive stance in addressing regional agricultural challenges.

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