Mennonites show wares for World Food Day
There are few things dearer to us as human beings–and even more so as Belizeans–than food. And whether it’s a matter of quantity or quality, we have much to be proud of and thankful for. Today, on the occasion of World Food Day, News 5’s Jacqueline Woods found herself situated squarely in the middle of the nation’s breadbasket.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Spanish Lookout, located in the Cayo District, is the largest Mennonite community in the country. Although the neatly tended fields resemble a scene from Iowa or Pennsylvania, when the Mennonites first entered the area in 1958, it was not such a friendly environment.
Henry Dueck, Chairman, Spanish Lookout
“It was very difficult for them to survive, everything was bush, everything was strange. And several of them, they moved back because they said they would just starve here in Belize. But finally, the whole group they came together worked hard, day and night and just with the stick they went to plant corn and little by little… The first couple years it was very difficult, many returned, they just said they cannot make it. But finally, we have been successful.”
Today, Spanish Lookout, which consists of fifty -three thousand acres of prime agricultural land, produces most of the country’s local food products including corn, poultry, eggs, cattle, rice, beans and milk. Chairman Henry Dueck, credits the community’s success to the farmers’ spirit of hard work and mutual support.
Henry Dueck
“They work together and I guess from the beginning we are born farmers, they know how to work hard. But the main reason was we work together, plus with the government help.”
So, in commemoration of World Food Day, it was no surprise that the Ministry of Agriculture, chose the community as the venue to hold the annual food fair.
Daniel Silva, Minister of Agriculture
“Because it is the breadbasket of Belize and the idea is to show people that there is money in agriculture. There is the stereotype that farmers are poor people and don’t make money, and this region here is probably one of the riches regions in Belize and it’s all agricultural based.”
The event showcased the variety of foods and other products that are made in Belize. Local producers and manufacturers from across the country were on hand to sell, display and even demonstrate their goods.
Recently the Ministry of Agriculture embarked on a countrywide campaign to promote local products to the business community as well as to the public. Marco Bedran, the product development and
marketing officer for the Belize Marketing Board, says while some progress has been made with the business sector, there is much work that needs to be done to change the attitudes of consumers.
Marco Bedran, Marketing Officer, Belize Marketing Board
“It is changing, but it is changing very slowly, because Belizeans on a whole still have the tendency to say, well if it comes from abroad it’s probably better, even though in Belize we produce the same quality or even higher. It is changing, but we still need to work more on it.”
For its part, the Belize Marketing Board has been assisting small farmers to produce and package their products. The department has not only helped with training, but has also assisted farmers with bottling, labelling and even marketing their supplies.
Marco Bedran
“We have found out that when a product comes with the name, for example, Belize Marketing Board behind it, there is more confidence in it, people tend to buy it because it comes with a name behind it, as [opposed to] having a farmer or processor go to one of the big supermarkets and say I would like you to market my product. And when Marketing Board comes it’s much, much different, the response has been very welcoming on behalf of the business community.”
Besides local foods, there were also a few surprises. We found out that soybean products include feed, oil and milk… but did you know that a combination of the oil and diesel can also run your vehicle?
Bernard Wolfe, Manager, Farmers Soy Products
“This is easy to mix with diesel. If you put twenty percent of soybean oil and eighty percent of diesel, your mileage increases by fifteen percent. I always use it in my pickup, I have a new Mitsubishi pickup.”
Jacqueline Woods
“So you are saying, once you pour that in your vehicle, your vehicle will be able to run?”
Bernard Wolfe
“Yeah. I always use it…the only different you notice, is the smell of the exhaust, it smells like burnt beans, and it improves the pollution, it burns hundred percent clean. Diesel fuel doesn’t burn a hundred percent clean, and this burns a hundred percent clean.”
Whether it’s better for your engine and the environment, the idea of soybean oil diesel still needs to be sold on the local market. Today, the Ministry of Agriculture has also been educating farmers about the use of pesticides in an effort to also promote food safety.
Daniel Silva
“We need to promote new technologies that will bring safer food. Today we talk about biogenetics and trying to have crops that are less dependent on pesticides, so we are also concerned about the amount of pesticides that people put on plants because it can affect the general population.”
The fair was well attended by students and residents of surrounding areas. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
