Toledo celebrates indigenous foods
Recently released statistics indicate that the district in Belize with the most poverty–and the only one where poverty is actually increasing–is Toledo. And while it may have been a coincidence, an activity was held in Punta Gorda today which demonstrated that despite a lack of cash, the growing and eating of local foods can help raise Toledoans standard of living.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
From exotic tropical fruits to indigenous cuisine, there was food a plenty this morning at the Toledo Union Football Field in Punta Gorda.
Sergio Garcia, C.E.O., Ministry of Agriculture
“I believe that the real interest here is to show the diversity of ethnic food that is present in Toledo District. When you visit the booths, you will see for example the Mayan Indians who have a whole series of recipes, the Garifuna people, the East Indian people and the Creole. So when you look at it, I think Belize is blessed with that whole ethnic diversity of cuisine.”
The food fair is part of activities for World Food Day 2003, which was celebrated on Thursday with the theme: International Alliance Against Hunger. It gave residents and visitors an opportunity to sample the diversity of the Toledo’s food supply.
Arnoldo Melendez, Chair, World Food Day Fair Committee
“Food and nutrition is what we are moving forward to achieve in P.G. Why food and nutrition? A recent survey that was done in 1996 states that the people of Punta Gorda has thirty-nine percent of growth retardation due to malnutrition and micro-nutrients deficiency, especially in vitamin A and Iron. So that is the reason why we are doing this fair, in order to create awareness in the people, in order to come out with all the goods that they produce, so that the people will acknowledge the potential that exists in Punta Gorda or in Toledo.”
School children from rural communities were bussed into town for today’s event. Marcus Osorio, who works with a group that monitors the safety of the country’s food supply, says events like this fair assures participants that what they eat is always good for them.
Marcus Osorio, National Coordinator, VIFINEX Project
“I think the Belize food supply is safe. I think we are secure on that side. There is much more that need to be done, yes, and I think we are getting there slowly.”
Patrick Jones
“The global goal of poverty elimination by the year 2015 has been seriously derailed, primarily by the lack of commitment by some governments to put the issue at the top of their priority list. Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Sergio Garcia, says Belize does not hold that dubious distinction as many of the policy decisions make the country a leader in Central America and the Caribbean.”
Sergio Garcia
“Next year the Ministry of Agriculture will implement what we call an E.U. Rural Development Project, which will address the rest of the country in terms of rural diversification and investments. The way we are looking at reducing poverty is no longer giving handouts. We believe that its getting people to do economic activities so that they can generate income and employment and for themselves and their family. So I think it’s a worthwhile strategy.”
Marcus Osorio
“All participants, all organizations, all stakeholders, government policy makers, we need to sit down together and draft policies and strategies and set goals, and set a time frame as well to meet certain goals and moving towards alleviating the poverty issue in our country.”
Patrick Jones
“But we did that in 2000 at the World Food Summit and we are still talking.”
Marcus Osorio
“Yes I agree with that. At the end of the day it’s our government and we need to have that support.”
Statistics quoted by agriculture officials at today’s food fair, point to a serious situation of poverty in Toledo. Fair coordinator Arnoldo Melendez says while things are okay in town, the real face of poverty in Toledo comes from the villages
Arnoldo Melendez
“If you go into the communities and you see the children of those indigenous people, you will see the difference. There are fourteen thousand indigenous people in Toledo, and when you go over there you will find what is the difference. That is why we have brought children from the rural communities, groups from rural communities as far a Jalacte coming down, for them to see what is going on so that they can take a good message when they reach home.”
Patrick Jones
“Organisers say activities for World Food Day 2003, although bogged down by the weather, have met their objectives. The nation’s youngest citizens are now expected to return their respective communities better informed on how to reduce poverty. Patrick Jones, for News 5.”
The Ministry of Agriculture today released a special recipe book that utilises ethnic Toledo dishes. The book was put together by the different organisations that pooled their resources to stage today’s fair. The recipe book is available from the Ministry of Agriculture.
