Posted: Friday, October 11, 2024. 4:10 pm CST.
Farmers’ Organizations for Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (FO4ACP) is a global project aimed at increasing the incomes and improving the livelihoods, food and nutrition security and safety of organized smallholders and family farmers in African, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries by strengthening farmers’ organizations (FOs). It has funding support from the European Union (EU) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, & Enterprise and PROCASUR (Programa de Capacitacion del Sur) through their regional office in Chile . The project is positioned to support the achievement of SDG 1 – No poverty and SDG 2 – Zero Hunger by means of achieving food security and promoting sustainable agriculture.
Locally, it is engaged with sixteen beneficiary farmer organizations, twelve co-operatives and four others. Activities have focused on building entrepreneurial capacities, enhancing business management practices, and improving farm productivity and have included trial of production management software, a farmer field school for hot peppers (habanero), and exchange visits to Colombia aimed at strengthening collectivism among farmers and to observe hydroponic and substrate-based production systems. Discussions and consultations are also ongoing for the development of a ‘service center’ for the purposes of providing business support services, seeking market opportunities, and resolving issues common to a productive sub-sector or economic activity.
This week’s activity, that started yesterday and concluding tomorrow, is a workshop on the use of unmanned aerial systems or drones for agricultural applications. Two international expert facilitators are providing theoretical and practical instruction on the following:
– understand the basics of drone technology.
– developing practical skills.
– exploring the benefits of multispectral imaging to monitor crop health and analyze agricultural data.
– develop proficiency in using sensors for real time monitoring and optimization.
– integrating technologies to create cohesive and precise solutions.
– evaluating the impact of drone technology so as to improve farm productivity and profitability.
Workshop participants include members of the beneficiary farmer organizations, Extension Officers, personnel of the Resilient Rural Belize Program and Pesticides Control Board, and the University of Belize Agriculture Campus. A presentation is also to be made by the Civil Aviation Department.
Anticipated outcome is for participants to gain hands-on experience deploying the technologies, analyzing data, and integrating these systems into their farming practices. As an added bonus, FO4ACP intends to select seven participants, based on their performance during the workshop, to be trained for and to obtain international drone certification.
The venue for the theoretical portion of the training is ProSolar Engineering Compound, Belmopan with practical trials to be undertaken in Bomba Village, Belize District.
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The post Farmer organizations in Belize participate in global project by Farmers’ Organizations for Africa, Caribbean and Pacific appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Friday, October 11, 2024. 4:10 pm CST. Farmers’ Organizations for Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (FO4ACP) is a global project aimed at increasing the incomes and
The post Farmer organizations in Belize participate in global project by Farmers’ Organizations for Africa, Caribbean and Pacific appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
