Development and Sustainable Agriculture in Central America: a Case Study of Belize

Development and Sustainable Agriculture in Central America:
A Case Study of Belize

ABSTRACT This paper examines a sample of the numerous obstacles that affect and inhibit economic, social, environmental, and agricultural development within the Central American country of Belize. After surveying a number of these influences, agricultural development (as it relates to overall development) will be explored in depth, with special attention given to environmentally safe agrarian practices and to organizations that aid Belize and other Central American countries in developing sustainably.

Development and Sustainable Agriculture in Central America:
A Case Study of Belize Belize, a country situated between Mexico and Guatemala on the Caribbean side of Central America, boasts rich natural resources and is home to a unique and diverse cultural environment. Although much of the region has been prone to political instability and internal conflict, the small country of Belize has been a relatively stable and prosperous nation. However, economic and social inequalities (vestiges of the country’s colonial heritage), disparities of the resources available to rural and urban areas, and problems in education, infrastructure, and communication hinder the state’s development. A growing interest among Belizean farmers in healthier and more efficient agriculture is leading to the intervention of international non-profit organizations, which aim to promote sustainable farming methods. The improvement of agrarian practices has the potential confront and overcome many of the obstructions to development that Belize and other Central American countries face today.
A summary of development in Belize Like many countries in the region, the notion of underdevelopment characterizes Belize, thanks in part to the legacy of British colonialism. Today, lingering effects of colonial practices are “manifested . . . in high rates of poverty, increasing foreign debt, and

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