Can Belize Strengthen Its Caribbean Trade Links?

Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and New Growth Industries Rodwell Ferguson says Caribbean countries need to trade more with each other and improve the transportation links needed to move agricultural products between regional markets.

Ferguson made the comments on Monday, September 28, while participating in a plenary session during Caribbean Week of Agriculture in Trelawny, Jamaica.

“I do not believe that we are trading as much as possible with each other. We must help each other survive,” Ferguson said.

The discussion focused on the challenges of moving agricultural products across the Caribbean. Ministers across the region said better air and sea connections, cold storage and more efficient border processes are needed to get food to markets.

Ferguson also highlighted the need for better marketing and shipping links between Caribbean countries and said Belize is ready to supply agricultural products to markets in the Caribbean and Central America.

During another plenary, Ferguson also addressed the challenges facing Belize’s agricultural workforce. He said the country previously relied on agricultural workers from neighbouring Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, but that has changed as more Belizeans pursue secondary and tertiary education.

“Young people are getting the opportunity to go to high school, sixth form, universities, [do] master’s degree, doctorate degree,” Ferguson said. “We can’t convince those young people to go and do agriculture.”

He said agriculture must also keep pace with changing technology as Belize works to meet its food production needs.