The European Commission last week presented a cheque for BZD3m (£870,000) to the Belize government for investment in the country’s rural communities, including most prominently its banana production industry.

In Belmopan, Belize’s minister of national development, investment, and culture, Mark Espat, officially received a cheque for that value from head of delegation of the European Commission, Gerd Jarchow.

The cash is part of a financing agreement for the Poverty Alleviation Project Coordination and Management Unit, agreed to in October by Belize prime minister Said Musa. That project is designed to focus on Belize's rural communities with an emphasis on fostering traditional and non-traditional business initiatives. The total value of the project is estimated at BZD15m.

Bananas are a big part of the EU's brief in Belize and an agreement was signed under which over BZD6m will be provided to the banana industry to improve efficiency. Under this particular grant, programmes will be established to reduce the amount of fertiliser used, thus lowering production costs. Funds will also be earmarked to monitor negative environmental impacts and promote poverty reduction in the banana belt.

Topics