Posted: Friday, July 4, 2025. 4:46 pm CST.
(L-R) Dr. Victoriano Pascual, Chief Agricultural Officer; Teresita Balan and Lillian Suntecun of MAFSE; and CARDI representatives Omaira Avila Rostant and Roberto Can unbox the experimental wheat seeds. Photo Credit: MAFSE
Friday, July 4, 2020
By Rubén Morales Iglesias: In a bold step toward strengthening national food security and reducing dependency on wheat imports, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE), in collaboration with the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), is launching an intensive varietal research program for wheat in Belize.
The initiative, supported by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico, will test 100 open-pollinated wheat varieties across two lines: one tolerant to semi-arid conditions and the other to high temperatures. The trials are part of CIMMYT’s Global Wheat Program, one of the world’s most comprehensive wheat breeding efforts under the CGIAR network.
Strategic Trials in Cayo and Orange Walk
The High Temperature Wheat (HTW) yield trial will be planted during Belize’s two main planting seasons—July and December 2025—while the Semi-Arid Wheat (SAW) trial is scheduled for 2026. Experimental fields will be established in the Cayo and Orange Walk Districts, with preliminary results from the HTW trial expected by the end of this year.
Earlier this week, MAFSE convened a strategic planning meeting with CARDI officials to finalize the trial design and schedule. Attendees included Dr. Victoriano Pascual, Chief Agricultural Officer; Teresita Balan and Lillian Suntecun of MAFSE; and CARDI representatives Omaira Avila Rostant and Roberto Can.
During the session, the Ministry expressed gratitude to CIMMYT and the Government of Mexico “for entrusting Belize with these trial varieties and supporting Belize’s agricultural research efforts.”
(L-R) Teresita Balan of MAFSE and CARDI representatives Roberto Can and Omaira Avila Rostant unbox the experimental wheat seeds. Photo Credit: MAFSE
Reducing a $30 Million Import Bill
Belize currently imports between 45 to 50 million pounds of wheat and an additional 7 to 8 million pounds of wheat flour annually—amounting to nearly BZ $30 million in foreign expenditure. The Ministry sees the wheat trials as a strategic move to reverse this trend.
“This varietal research program will be testing the performance of 100 open-pollinated varieties of wheat,” the Ministry stated, emphasizing the potential to diversify Belize’s grain portfolio and enhance local production.
Wheat flour is a staple ingredient in Belizean households and is used in a wide variety of daily food products such as bread, cakes, tortillas, and fried jacks—making the success of this program not only an economic priority but a cultural one as well.
A Vision for Agricultural Resilience
Belize has already made strides in grain production, particularly in corn, sorghum, soybean, and beans. The introduction of wheat trials aligns with MAFSE’s broader grain development strategy, offering farmers new opportunities to increase productivity and competitiveness.
With climate-resilient varieties and international collaboration at its core, the wheat research initiative signals Belize’s commitment to agricultural innovation and sustainability. As the trials are conducted, researchers in the Ministry of Agriculture and CARDI as well as the farming community will be watching closely at the results to see if wheat can become the next success story as part of the agricultural initiatives outlined in Plan Belize 2.0.
Experimental wheat seeds – Photo Credit: MAFSE
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The post Belize launches ambitious Wheat Research Program to boost food security and cut imports appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Friday, July 4, 2025. 4:46 pm CST. (L-R) Dr. Victoriano Pascual, Chief Agricultural Officer; Teresita Balan and Lillian Suntecun of MAFSE; and CARDI representatives Omaira
The post Belize launches ambitious Wheat Research Program to boost food security and cut imports appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
