3 Southern Villages Join New EU Job and Farming Project

Three southern Belize communities have officially signed on to a new international project aimed at increasing local jobs and farming opportunities.

Hopkins Village, Seine Bight, and Maya Center Village are the first of 15 communities to join the PROSPER project. The formal agreements with the Government of Belize, the European Union, and the International Labour Organization mark the start of a four-year, EU-funded initiative focused on building stronger economic opportunities in Maya and Garifuna communities.

At its core, PROSPER is about making sure that when tourists visit a Garifuna village or when cacao leaves a Maya farm, more of that money stays with the people who live there.

Each community will form a local action group, giving residents a direct say in how development funds are used and which projects get priority.

The three communities were selected through an assessment that looked at each village’s existing businesses, cooperatives, and readiness to participate. More than 100 Hopkins and Seine Bight residents were already consulted in December 2025 as part of the groundwork.

Cacao agroforestry is one of the project’s two pillars, with vocational schools in the area set to add cacao cultivation to their curricula and receive training support and equipment.

Minister of Agriculture Rodwell Ferguson welcomed the focus on cacao agroforestry, saying that by supporting farming communities, Belize “can strengthen rural livelihoods and create more resilient agricultural systems for future generations”.

The remaining twelve communities, all in the Toledo District, are expected to join in the coming months once consent discussions are complete.