Assist Local Indigenous Farmers in Southern Belize

Healthy Ecosystems for Thriving Livelihoods 

Ya’axché Conservation Trust (Ya’axché) continues to support farmers of the Maya Golden Landscape (MGL) in Toledo, Belize. We work with individual farmers and 31 members of the Trio Farmers Cacao Growers Association (TFCG). TFCG farmers work within the cacao agroforestry concession of the Maya Mountain North Forest Reserve (MMNFR), a protected area comanaged by Ya’axché and the Government of Belize.

We have been helping TFCG farmers to enhance their cacao agroforestry farms. Pruning, appropriate shade management, soil care and use of organic fertilizer have been utilized to induce higher productivity yields. These interventions were specifically applied in areas within the agroforestry concession that needed more shade control and management. 

Additionally, with support from other projects, we have contributed towards the production of 8,800 cacao saplings that directly supported 9 new farmers setting up agroforestry farms in the buffer area of the reserve. Part of this initiative saw farmers receiving trainings to build their capacity in the management of agroforestry systems. Capacity building topics included best farming management practices, soil care, propagation, and restoration techniques for ecosystem restoration in the Maya Golden Landscape

We promote agroforestry farming because it is an important mechanism for land restoration and livelihood enhancement in the larger Maya Golden Landscape. This approach entails planting saplings (inclusive of native timber trees) in the agroforestry concession and the buffering areas of MMNFR that have been affected by deforestation for subsistence farming.

Here at Ya’axché we produce the saplings which are used in the reforestation and restoration initiatives. Recently we temporarily partnered with the Institute for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ITVET) to recruit youths to assist the nursery keeper in caring for plants and transplanting saplings in the intervention areas.  

Efforts to restore 500 hectares in the MGL is on-going. Our commitment remains to continue conducting planting of native trees species, fruits and timber for agroforestry systems and protected areas surveillance (patrols) to deter illegal activities that may contribute to loss of forest canopy cover.