Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agroindustry Innovation

IICA seeks to create awareness about bioeconomy in Belize

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

The Institute organized a seminar to present its Bioeconomy and Productive Development Program, and to sensitize Belizean stakeholders on the importance of bioeconomy for rural development.

Belmopan, Belize, December 19, 2018 (IICA). There is an urgent need to improve Belize’s use of natural resources using a holistic integrated approach to national development – the production of raw materials, industrial policies and the fostering and regulation of consumption (e.g. fair trade, sustainability certification for greener or organic products) along the value chain.

This was the consensus during the seminar/workshop organized by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in Belize to present the recently launched Bioeconomy and Productive Development Program, as well as to sensitize Belizean stakeholders on the importance of bioeconomy.

During the event, fifteen participants discussed the opportunities that exist for coherently addressing the complex challenges of generating new sustainable sources of economic and social growth through agricultural production, with the aim of contributing to the achievement of a majority of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The seminar facilitated an engaged and interactive dialogue with about participants’ representative of the public & private sector and the academia and research main stakeholders’ organizations of IICA in Belize.

The projection of videos about practical examples triggered the interest around concrete practices of use of the bioeconomy; and the world-café session engaged participants in an in-depth discussion about the opportunities, challenges, best practices and experiences in relation to the topic.

An exercise of mapping the main present stakeholders showed that most have been already working on bioeconomy, despite not being called that way. This came to show the high potential to develop an agenda to continue working on the topic in taking advantage of existing complementarities such as: past & present collaborations among the main participating stakeholders, agriculture-based organizations, commitment to the sustainable development of the agricultural sector, as well as on education/extension, research & development, same/similar clients, target groups/entities.

There were also several opportunities that should be taken into account whilst continuing to work together, among which it is worth mentioning: greater results can be achieved with collaboration, greater efficiency, and more efficient promulgation of the message, among others.

Participants concluded that IICA should call-upon a follow up meeting early 2019 in order to agree on future steps in order to develop an agenda related to bioeconomy in Belize.

 

More information:

Willie Chan, Technical Coordinator in IICA Belize

willie.chan@iica.int

Share

Related news​

San José, Costa Rica

June 5, 2025

At IICA, Costa Rican cacao producers are recognized for the excellence of their products and for their contribution to rural development and nutrition in the region

Experts analyzed 15 samples of cacao from various parts of the Central American country, with the five that received the highest scores then declared winners of the 2025 competition. The same five samples were sent to Rome, Italy, where they will represent Costa Rica in the international “Cacao of Excellence” competition, the stepping stone to the International Cocoa Awards.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Turrialba, Costa Rica

June 3, 2025

On a study visit to Costa Rica, ministers of Agriculture, rural youth and women of the Eastern Caribbean were introduced to improved agricultural practices

The mission began with two days of activities at IICA Headquarters in San Jose, including meeting with the IICA Director General, Manuel Otero. The visitors then travelled to CATIE.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José, Costa Rica

June 2, 2025

Ibero-America sees biofuels as a solution to decarbonize the energy sector  

The annual meeting of the Ibero-American Association of Energy Regulators (ARIAE), held in San Jose and Guanacaste, Costa Rica, featured the II Entrepreneurial Forum, attracting 200 participants, including the Costa Rican Minister of Environment and Energy, the Executive Secretary of the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) and authorities of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB); the XV Regular Annual Meeting of the ARIAE General Assembly, which was attended by 17 regulatory agencies of ARIAE; and the XXVI Annual Meeting of ARIAE Energy Regulators.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins