The Board of Directors of the Pesticides Control Board (PCB), a Statutory Board under the Ministry responsible for agriculture in Belize, held its Strategic Governance Retreat 2022 on 7th and 8th July at the Dream Valley Resort in the Cayo District.

The Strategic Governance Retreat commenced with a roundtable discussion between the Board and senior officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise aimed at enhancing policies pertaining to pesticide regulation and sound pesticide management. Keynote remarks were delivered by the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry, Mr. Servulo Baeza.

The roundtable discussion highlighted stakeholder efforts and potential pathways for the development of a multisectoral approach for addressing issues in pest and disease management, the adverse effects of pesticides on human health and impacts on the environment, and the life-cycle management of pesticides; contributing toward the achievement of a sustainable food system for Belize.

Other activities planned during the retreat were the regular quarterly meeting of the Board of Directors, and a strategic planning session to assess the implementation of the PCB's 2017 to 2022 Strategic Plan and develop a new Strategic Plan for the period 2023 to 2028.

On Friday 8th July, the PCB signed cooperation agreements with partners in the following areas:

1. A Memorandum of Understanding between the International Regional Organization for Health in Agriculture (OIRSA), the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) and the Pesticides Control Board on: The proper use and management of Sitracsum (d-phenothrin) in luggage compartments, cargo flights and inside of vehicles.

2. Letter of Intent between the International Regional Organization for Health in Agriculture (OIRSA) and the Pesticides Control Board on: A strategic Alliance between the Grow Safe campaign of the PCB and the biological control program of OIRSA to reduce the use of Restricted-Use Pesticides at the farm level.

3. Memorandum of Understanding between the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) and the Pesticides Control Board to: Update the 2017 MOU between the regulatory agencies for the coordination of agency duties pertaining to the importation of pesticides into Belize.

4. Memorandum of Agreement between Sustainable Harvest International-Belize and the Pesticides Control Board for: the development of a three-year technical cooperation project to assist four groups of horticulture farmers in the adoption of regenerative agriculture techniques and reduction in the use of Restricted-Use Pesticides, for the protection of health and preservation of the environment.

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