Belize City. March 26, 2020. A cooperation agreement between the Government of Belize and the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) was signed today, March 26th, by the Hon. Senator Godwin Hulse, Minister of Food and Agriculture, and Immigration and H.E. Remus Li-Kuo Chen, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for a four year “Breeding Sheep and Goat Production and Guidance System Enhancement Project”.
The four-year project comes with an approved total budget of US$3 million. The Government of Belize will contribute US$500,000 and the Taiwan Government will finance US$2.5 million.
The main objectives to be accomplished through the project are as follows:
- Assist Belizean farmers to improve the quality of the sheep and goats.
- Conduct market value chain analysis and implement a marketing program to promote consumption and market penetration for sheep and goat products.
- Strengthen the Sheep and Goat Traceability System to improve value chain efficiencies and branding quality sheep and goat products.
Sheep and goat production have tremendous growth opportunity on the national market and the regional export market. This newly signed project will complement other ongoing initiatives, focus on promoting consumption and market penetration, and strengthen the value-added production and market linkage in sheep industry.
This project is the second phase of a larger project, having completed phase one in December 2019. Phase one succeeded in:
- Establishing the National Sheep and Goat Breeding Center at Central Farm,
- Importing three pure breeds to improve the quality of sheep genetics in the country,
- Providing an initial development on a traceability system, and
- Capacity building workshops among other achievements.
Both governments expressed their desire and dedication for further strengthening the friendship and cooperative relations through the implementation of this project.
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For more information, contact:
Andrew Harrison
828-5092
Mrs. Bi-yin Chien
227-8744
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