Government Unveils Ambitious Strategy for Rural Belize

The government says Belize’s real wealth isn’t found in its cities, it’s out in the villages, the farms, and the rural communities that keep the country moving. And today, officials unveiled a new National Rural Development Strategy that aims to reverse decades of neglect. It’s a roadmap designed to improve livelihoods, boost infrastructure, and breathe new hope into rural Belize. News Five’s Paul Lopez was there for the unveiling and has this report.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The Ministry of Rural Transformation has just unveiled its most ambitious plan yet, one designed to truly move the needle for Belize’s rural communities.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“The wealth of this country is not in the Urban areas; it is in the rural areas. This is where the wealth of this country is being produced, in the rural areas, agriculture, that is a major foreign partner for Belize, tourism, where our Minister of Tourism is always reminding us, depending on the day and the mood he is in, it is around forty-two sixty percent of GDP. Everything that makes Belize so special and unique is in the rural areas. But yet for too long, successive governments have not given the necessary attention to rural communities in this country.”

 

Study after study shows the same thing: Belize’s rural communities continue to face the toughest levels of deprivation, even while agriculture and tourism keep thriving around them. CEO Valentino Shal says that reality must change. And the new National Rural Development Strategy is meant to do exactly that, laying out a clear path to finally lift rural communities forward.

 

Valentino Shal, Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Rural Transformation

“It is a lot of work, but that is precisely why we needed a strategy to be clear about what we need to get done with the people in the rural areas for them to enjoy a better standard of life. That is what we came up with in this strategy. To find solutions you have to first understand the problem.”

 

The five‑year plan tackles four major development challenges in rural communities. Those are territorial governance and financing leverage, inclusive and competitive rural economics, skilled human capital and resilient infrastructure.  The roadmap outlines fourteen action areas and thirty‑two concrete initiatives.

 

Oscar Requena, Minister of Rural Transformation

“My friends, at the core of the National Rural Development Strategy, it is about restoring opportunities, hope, particularly for rural youth, women, farmers, entrepreneurs and community leaders who are vital to our nation’s future. We have a  well structured coordinated framework and roadmap for national rural development.”

 

The Government of Belize is undertaking the initiative in partnership with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration and Clio Consulting. A rollout of this scale will demand both administrative restructuring and more financial support.

 

Oscar Requena

“I am happy to report that on the advice and guidance of the Ministry of Finance the Ministry of Rural Transformation has seen an increase in our ceiling. So that is good. Also bear in mind that is why we have development partners and our government is certainly engaged with out national and international development partners, because we as a government alone cannot fund all these initiatives.”

 

Officials acknowledge the plan is ambitious, and say real progress will depend on strong partnerships with development agencies and increased funding. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.