The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE) in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have successfully completed the implementation of an Agribusiness Incubation Train-the-Trainers Workshop.
The workshop is a step in the TCP BZE 3801 project to deliver its Output 2 – “Technical assistance provided to the MAFSE, Belize Marketing and Development Corporation and University of Belize to adapt, validate, and use an appropriate incubation system for strengthening the technical capacity of young and female entrepreneurs to develop and implement business ventures that are sustainable and climate-smart in different areas of the food system including production, processing, distribution and commercialization.”
This phase served to sensitize and prepare candidates to share the systemic vision of technical incubator methodology. During the activities, information was shared among the teams that will be involved in supporting the incubation processes and the long-term sustainability of the technical incubator.
The training process allowed the teams to evolve in the construction and re-signification of concepts related to the planning, constitution, and administration of agro-food businesses. The training process enabled a review of the strengths and weaknesses of knowledge already employed in extensionist practices, the mapping of best practices, and the development of shared concepts among the participants.
The training was imparted by the FAO’s technical agribusiness incubator consultants through a hybrid virtual and face-to-face learning process utilizing the application of digital technologies and platforms.
The workshop was successfully completed by 28 participants from various local government agencies, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, Women’s Department, Cooperatives Department, University of Belize, Beltraide, Belize Marketing and Development Corporation, the Development Finance Corporation, La Inmaculada Credit Union, farmers organizations, and five participants from the Bahamas.
