By Belize Live News Staff: Researchers from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) are set to launch an intensive wheat varietal research program in Belize.
The program will evaluate 100 open-pollinated wheat varieties from two lines provided by CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Mexico): one with tolerance to semi-arid conditions and the other to high-temperature conditions. Trial design is being carried out in collaboration with CIMMYT, the lead of the Global Wheat Program within the CGIAR network.
•High Temperature Wheat (HTW) trials will be planted in the July and December 2025 seasons in the Cayo and Orange Walk districts, with preliminary results expected by year-end.
•Semi-Arid Wheat (SAW) trials will take place in 2026 in the same locations.
Earlier this week, MAFSE convened a meeting with CARDI to finalize trial design. Attendees included Dr. Victoriano Pascual (Chief Agricultural Officer), Mrs. Teresita Balan, Mrs. Lillian Suntecun (MAFSE), Ms. Omaira Avila Rostant, and Mr. Roberto Can (CARDI). The Ministry expressed appreciation to CIMMYT and Mexico for supplying the varieties and supporting Belize’s research.
Belize currently grows corn, sorghum, soybean, and beans; adding wheat aligns with the Ministry’s broader grain-development strategy, offering farmers more options.
Between 2020 and 2024, Belize imported 45–50 million pounds of wheat and 7–8 million pounds of flour, costing nearly BZ$30 million annually. The wheat trials aim to enhance food security and reduce the national import bill.
