7 News Belize

Red Sicta To San Vicente
posted (April 5, 2013)
White corn and black beans are among the primary crops of the farmers in San Vicente and Jalacte - Toledo villages at the southwestern edge of Belize's territory.

But many times, these small producers lack the technology or market place savvy to get a decent price for their produce.

Now, a new project sponsored by IICA, the Inter-American Institute of Cooperation for Agriculture is hoping to use technology to improve their competitiveness and make them some money. It's called Red Sicta and the IICA Representative explained:

Mohammed Ibrahim - IICA
"They have regional project called RED SICTA which is looking at technological innovation for security and improving the competitiveness of farmers to market their product with some specifications on corn and beans and other products. The project has several objectives; one is to provide technologies to farmers for improving their productivity of the corn and beans. These productions have increased between 20 to 30% in some cases due to the technological innovation that farmers have been using, better management of the crop, better planting, better swing distances and better fertilizing management of the crops. Another objective was to improve - decrease the past harvest losses of corn and beans which is a major problem. We find that many cases due to bad management, our poor practices for storage of corn and beans, losses could be up to 40 and 50%. They're some benefits where some past harvest losses have decrease up to 40% in some house hold, which means there is more food - food security and also farmers can market their product at a better price."

H. E. Vinai Thummalapally - U.S. Ambassador to Belize.
"After corn and beans get harvested, traditionally they used to dump it into the market and when price was lowest. So, there were huge opportunities for the improving efficiency, reducing waste and to also be able to store the grain and the beans for better prices."

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