The document discusses the history and farming practices of the Mennonite community in Belize. It describes how Mennonite groups emigrated from Russia to Canada in the early 1900s before a group visited and settled in Belize over 50 years ago. While some use traditional horse-drawn farming methods, their goal is to keep their farm-spirited attitude while allowing innovations. The Mennonites signed an agreement with the government granting them exemptions from military service and social security in exchange for farming food for themselves and local markets and paying taxes. They adapted to the environment and climate by clearing land and growing corn and beans, now also raising chickens, dairy, and grain. They provide jobs and teach farming methods to locals and

1. GIAHS-WORKSHOP
Mexico City
April 28th-30th, 2016
Emilio Montero
BELIZE
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry,
Environment and Sustainable Development
emilio.montero@agriculture.gov.bz

2. Mennonite Community of
Belize
Farming & Agriculture
• The Mennonites in Belize come from Russian
Mennonite groups who initially emigrated
from Russia and moved to Canada in early
1900s.
• The government in Belize was open to
bringing in agricultural colonists so
arrangements were made on both ends, and a
group of Mennonites visited to examine the
area.

4. They have now been settled in
Belize for over fifty years and
although many of the communities
use horse drawn power to operate
the ploughs and saw mills or water
power from rivers to run light
machinery the traditional groups
will not use electricity or motor
vehicles, choosing instead to travel
on horse drawn covered wagons
along dirt roads between their
communities.

5. In a written agreement, the government of British Honduras granted
the Mennonites several things that helped maintain their tradition:
- The right to run their own churches and schools with their
own teachers and language
- An exemption from making the traditional immigration
deposits
- Exemption from the military
- Freedom to enter or leave the country with their money and
property
- An exemption from social security
Several guidelines that the Mennonites must adhere to:
- The responsibility of paying all the costs of establishment
- Providing and farming food not only for themselves but also
for the local markets
- Observe and obey the laws of the country
- Pay all regular taxes, just as a native citizen would

6. In the early days, clearing large areas for farming with a Caterpillar
was expensive, so they adapted to the poor man’s way of farming.
This involved:
 involved cutting the jungle right at the start of the dry season and
waiting for the rest of the brush to dry.
 A pointed stick was used to dig holes to plant corn and during the
harvest, the corn was picked by hand.
 Adapting to the new climate conditions for the farmers as well as
learning what type of food to grow and how to control the diseases
that struck the crops.
 From the late 1950s until the present day, corn and beans have
been the major crops that farmers in Spanish Lookout have grown.
 Corn is currently the number one item produced in volume but the
farmers are also invested in chicken raising, the grain industry, and
dairy farming.

7. Their goal in all of this is
to keep the same “farm-
spirited” attitude of their
forefathers while also
allowing new innovations
to take them to new,
more prosperous levels.

8. Part of the mission at Spanish
Lookout is to maintain a good
relationship with the natives of
Belize. This involves providing
them with jobs and teaching
them methods of farming. While
the farmers currently are selling
to local markets, they are looking
into becoming involved in the
world market and would like to
go into bigger scale farming.

16. Threats &
Problems
Actions/Activities Expected results
Climate Change/
Variability
Technical support
from GOB
Planting season
Competition-
markets
Support from
Ministry of
Agriculture (MoA)
GOB ensures
markets
Agriculture
expansion/diversifi
cation
Support from MoA Food Security
Diseases-pests Support from MoA Decreased threats
of pests