Belize Agricultural Health Authority

A limitation to increasing trade of fish and fisheries productsin Belize is the restricted capacity of the sector to conduct tests indicating that products do indeed meet international market standards. Funded by the European Union, a key activity of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures Project is to improve laboratory testing capacity for the fisheries and aquaculture sector in the CARIFORUM Region. As part of this activity, technical assistance has been provided to the Belize Agricultural Health Authority’s (BAHA) Central Investigation Laboratory (CIL) through training, technical guidance, and the provision of equipment. The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is the executing body, and the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) is a major partner in the implementation of this SPS Action.

To combat the issue of contraband in the agriculture sector, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise has established a standing Vegetable Interdiction Team (VIT) comprising officials from various government departments and agencies.

On July 24, 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, the International Regional Organization for Health in Agriculture (OIRSA), the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA), the University of Belize, the Banana Growers Association, and the Republic of China (Taiwan) International Cooperation and Development Fund signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to combat the threat posed by Fusarium wilt Tropical Race 4 (Foc TR4) on banana and plantain crops and other diseases in Belize.

The Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) advises its partners, stakeholders, and the public that it is closely monitoring the outbreak of New World screwworms in Central America. Panama has declared a State of Zoosanitary Emergency and reported cases in cattle, pigs, dogs, and horses. Costa Rica has reported a single case in a dog.

The Belize Poultry Health Regulations, Statutory Instrument No. 121 of 2022, published in the Gazette on 25th August 2022, came into effect on 30th November 2022. These regulations will enable the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA), in collaboration with poultry farmers, to effectively prevent, control, and eradicate poultry diseases. It also calls for effective biosecurity controls at poultry establishments to further safeguard the industry. As part of the implementation process, poultry industry importers, exporters, and other poultry establishments are required to register with BAHA, registration commenced in November 2022.

The Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE), the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change & Disaster Risk Management, the Regional International Organization for Agricultural Health (OIRSA) and the Belize Poultry Association (BPA) inform the public that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has recently been confirmed in pelicans on the coast of Puerto Cortes and La Ceiba, Honduras.

On October 20, 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise received a donation of a POCKIT Central Nucleic Acid Analyzer Machine. The machine was donated by GeneReach Biotechnology Corporation, a Taiwanese company dedicated to bringing innovation to global health management.

Under the 11th European Development Fund Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Project: “Strengthening of the Legislative Framework in Belize”, the European Union provided funds for the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) to develop much-needed regulations. It was agreed that the Poultry Health Regulations would be prioritized. The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, BAHA and other key stakeholders partnered for the implementation of this project.