State of Emergency and Subsistence Farming

Subsistence farming continues to be a way of life among members of the indigenous communities in southern Belize.  Amid the national state of emergency brought about by the coronavirus crisis, villagers in Toledo District are adhering to the regulations set out under the statutory instrument  that governs the S.O.E.  Earlier today, News Five spoke with Greg Ch’oc, former executive director of the Sarstoon and Temash Institute for Indigenous Management.  According to Ch’oc, while those in the Maya communities are fully compliant, a balance is being struck in terms of their customary way of life.

On the Phone: Greg Ch’oc, Former Executive Director, SATIIM

“They are adhering to the statutory instrument.  They are, from discussion that I had with few members of selected communities by phone that they are making every attempt to adhere to the guidelines that have been established.  In terms of the food security matter, at this time of year the community would be involved in reaping their corn, their beans and they would also be preparing field for cultivation of corn and other crops that they normally farm or cultivate and that is what they are doing.  I have spoken to a few people from various villages and my, what I conclude from the conversations that I had with them is that they continue to do that kind of activity, preparing their fields, reaping their corn, beans and some have stated that they deliberately are involved in these activities because they recognize that if they miss this time of preparing their field or not harvesting their corn then there would be the high possibility that they may have food shortages on the long term and the uncertainty that the COVID-19 has brought to the community.  It seems that most communities, if not all, have taken a deliberate step to continue with ensuring that they have food on the long term.”