EU provides additional BZ$5.4m to support banana productivity in Belize
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| Published on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 |
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BELMOPAN, Belize: The European Union has approved an additional allocation of €2.11 Million (approximately 5.4 million BZD) to Belize to promote sustainable development and poverty alleviation in the traditional banana growing areas of southern Belize.
Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi-Alemanni, Head of the European Commission Delegation to Belize, and Prime Minister, Said Musa, signed a Financing Agreement for the Banana Support Programme, Special Frame Work of Assistance (SFA 2006) on the 22nd February 2007.
SFA 2006 forms an integral part of the larger competitive strategy for the banana industry developed by the Government of Belize and the European Commission in 1999 to improve the efficiency and productivity of the banana industry as well as to improve the living standards for the banana workers and associated communities in the traditional banana growing areas.
Under this new project (SFA 2006), the EU Banana Support Programme (BSP) will focus on three critical areas of intervention:
Activity 1: A Nematode Control Programme designed to reduce the use of nematicides based on sound principles and an anticipated improvement in production yields in the farms resulting in an overall reduction in cost and an associated improvement in competitiveness;
Activity 2: Rehabilitation of aged and diseased plantations and crop timing with the introduction of Tissue Culture Plants (Meristem Plants) through support to local capacity to develop meristem plants andrehabilitation of plantations.
Activity 3: A Rural Development Component that represents 50% of the allocation of this SFA. It will include (i) Social Community-based sub-projects in the Banana Belt such as water and sanitation, health, social infrastructure, education, social services, and organizational strengthening and support (ii) all activities that will facilitate income generating private initiatives. It is also foreseen a direct support to the creation and the development of rural enterprises through grants.
Since the inception of the Banana Support Programme in June 1999, Belize has been allocated more than € 21.39 (BZ$54 million). | | | | Reads : 403 | | | |
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