Plant breeding programs in Belize
Belize is a very small country open to the Caribbean Sea. Its economy is primarily driven by the agricultural and tourism sectors. Exports are dominated by primary commodities mainly sugar, banana, citrus and fisheries products. Domestic agriculture on the other hand, includes rice, maize, beans, root crops, vegetables, poultry, beef and pigs.
Plant breeding activities in Belize began more than 30 years ago and are actually carried out by both public and private organizations. They are serviced mostly by graduate professionals; however, there are neither specialist plant breeders attached to any of the programmes nor personnel with competence or training in biotechnology except for the University of Belize. However, no biotechnology activities are carried out in the University.
The main breeding programmes are based on citrus, coconut, oilseeds and soya. With the exception of coconuts in which only one cross was made, the remaining work is conducted as the evaluation of fixed lines and varieties. There is no work conducted in the areas of making crosses, evaluating segregating populations or evaluating fixed lines developed by the breeding programmes. This may be due to the qualifications of the personnel who are either agronomists or first degreed persons.
Based on the previous discussion, the most limiting aspect of a successful breeding programme is the inadequate number of breeders for each crop followed by an inadequate knowledge level of the general plant breeding strategies. The national capacity firstly needs to develop a national team to undertake plant breeding work.
Research and education institutes with activities in plant breeding
Public Institutes
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of Belize (MOAF)
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University of Belize
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Private Institutes
Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (CARDI)
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Belize Citrus Growers Association
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Information by Azim Hosein (2009) - Information based on the Belize's full report from the PBBC survey.
Last revised 31-07-2009, GIPB