Empowered network of Agroecology Stewards within the Northern Landscape.

The Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association (PSCPA) is one of three sugar cane farmer associations that opened its doors on 15 January 2015. Their vision is to increase production and productivity for its member farmers, and a mission, which is to produce the best quality sugar cane by implementing superior agronomic practices through environmental, systematic and sustainable methods. Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association (PSCPA) encourages the increase of production through dedication and commits the implementation of best agronomic practices, through environmental systematic, and sustainable methods, promoting transparency, accountability and honesty in its administration procuring the welfare and economic growth for the industry. It is a prosperous and sustainable Fair-Trade certified organization targeting rural areas of northern Belize by means of thoroughly supporting the growth of member?s agricultural productive systems to sustain their livelihood. The main goal of the project is to further build the participants (champions) and their communities? capacity to secure their own food, nutrition and income at household level to alleviate poverty and become resilient to climate change. PSCPA mainly focuses on sustainable improvement of livelihoods of small-scale farmers through sustainable agriculture and now organic farming, a system of farming using locally available materials to improve the soil, yield and farmers standards of living. PSCPA has successfully completed its first project funded by GEF SGP, Project phase 1 empowered 27 women and youth champions using a culture sensitive and participatory approach. The program developed included training in capacity building, health and child labor awareness, financial literacy empowerment, social safeguards, economic opportunities and hands-on training. PSCPA now aims to target Phase 2, which will continue to empower 15 of the phase 1 project champions and 15 new participants, a total of 30 direct participants. The benefits foreseen are threefold: - (1) we foresee that out of the participants, 80% will improve their livelihoods by venturing into or improving their existing back yard gardens, and a growth of 30% of PSCPA total membership will implement organic practices. (2) with the training received they will contribute to the success of their family sugar cane farming business, save a lot of wasted money on synthetic fertilizers and improve the environments health (3) they will also learn to address sustainability compliance issues such as child labor in their homes and communities.

The grantee partner will be exploring opportunities for a medium sized GEF project.

The intervention can benefit from a strategic project to upscale and replicate the efforts to other rural and urban communities.

The proposed project intends to capture gender aspects through analyzing gender roles in the Sugar Cane Industry. Engagement of women farmers in climate adaptation and climate resilient livelihoods will lead to improving their environment through better management of soil, crops, and trees, which are crucial for the protection of the environment. The project is to deliver knowledge and skills in Agro-Ecological farming techniques to both women and youths; while empowering them into capital intensive agribusiness, to enable them to make more conscientious informed choices in agriculture for improved and sustainable livelihoods

This project aims to Empower youth and enhance gender sensitive adaptive capacity to climate change and improve their livelihoods to meaningfully engage in Climate Smart Agro-Ecological practices within the Sugar Cane Industry as a means of diversification

Yes. PSCPA is actively developing partnerships.