Belize’s sugarcane farmers invest in home-grown solutions for healthier land

Belizean smallholder sugarcane farmer association awarded grant to improve soil health, reduce reliance on synthetic fertilisers, and strengthen resilience.  

A smallholder sugarcane farmers’ association in Belize is taking a new approach to improving soil health and tackling crop disease after winning funding to establish the country’s first locally managed bio-factory and laboratory for producing biofertilisers. 

Awarded on 18th June 2026, the project will support the development of locally produced fertilisers, made from naturally occurring microorganisms and organic materials and tailored to support growing sugarcane. 

The bio-factory will be owned and operated by the Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association (PSCPA). Within its first year, the project aims to supply biofertilisers for 500 acres of its members’ sugarcane land. If successful, production could be expanded to supply biofertilisers to the wider public. 

The initiative comes at a challenging time for sugarcane farmers. In recent years, tens of thousands of acres of sugarcane fields have been affected by pests and disease. 

Produced from naturally occurring microorganisms and organic materials, the biofertilisers help crops access nutrients more efficiently, improve soil health, and reduce the need for synthetic fertilisers. While conventional fertilisers can support yields, they can also be costly, require significant energy to produce, and may contribute to soil degradation in the long-term. 

At the grant award ceremony, John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize, remarked on the importance of this project, “We are investing in the future of Belizean agriculture. This bio-factory represents innovation, resilience, and our commitment to giving our sugarcane farmers the tools they need to restore soil health, improve productivity, and strengthen their livelihoods. Together, we are growing a more sustainable and prosperous Belize.”

“Together, we are growing a more sustainable and prosperous Belize.”

– John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize

The project is funded through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which supports community-led initiatives that address environmental challenges while delivering local benefits. 

The grant will cover over 35% of the cost of the project and builds on the previous projects done by the Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association and funded by the GEF Small Grants programme to improve climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods among smallholder sugarcane farmers in northern Belize. 

Sugarcane farmers are facing climate shocks, including crop disease, and a resulting uncertain economic outlook. Projects like this place innovation in the hands of farmers themselves, making sugarcane growing more sustainable by the people whose livelihoods depend on it.