Sustainable Aquaculture Development
Seaweed Mariculture in Belize
Seaweed farming offers a multitude of benefits, including providing alternative livelihoods and creating new economic opportunities for communities. It enhances ocean water quality by absorbing excess pollutants and heavy metals and offers shelter for marine juveniles, thereby supporting marine life and boosting biodiversity. Additionally, seaweed contributes significantly to carbon sequestration by capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide, which helps mitigate climate change. Seaweed also plays a vital role in erosion control by stabilizing the seafloor and reducing coastal erosion. It supports nutrient cycling within marine ecosystems and serves as a sustainable resource with diverse applications, including food, biofuels, and bioplastics. Moreover, seaweed farming fosters economic diversification through the development of related industries such as processing and product innovation.
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The fishermen of Placencia Village began farming red seaweed among the roots of mangroves along the coastal areas of southern Belize in the mid-80s. In collaboration with the Placencia Producers Cooperative Society Limited (PPCSL) and the Southern Environmental Association (SEA), B-BLUE has developed a research program for experimenting with different seaweed species and farming techniques to ensure high-quality produce that meets changing customer demands. The seaweed species involved include Eucheuma isiforme and Gracilaria crassissima. This program supports and promotes the production of raw sun-dried seaweed for processing and export at the community level.
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The cultivation of seaweed has diversified from its primary use for direct human consumption to include uses in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food additives, among others. The seaweed farms have allowed fisherfolk to diversify their income and have created a new income stream for eco-tour guides and conservation NGOs with tours of the seaweed farms. Together, we enhance the productivity, sustainable trade, and research of processed dried seaweed, fostering a sustainable and thriving marine ecosystem and community.
Placencia Lagoon Mangrove Restoration Pilot Project
Mangroves are a unique ecosystem offering numerous environmental benefits, including serving as nursery grounds and habitats for a variety of wildlife, providing coastal protection, and purifying polluted coastal waters. They can assimilate pollutants such as heavy metals, nutrients (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus), and suspended solids, playing a crucial role in wastewater treatment. Mangroves undergo many natural alterations in response to their environment, but they struggle to adapt quickly enough to counter the effects of climate change.
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Mangrove restoration is a critical tool in the fight against climate change, as it helps store large amounts of carbon, often referred to as ‘blue carbon.’ These ecosystems store more carbon per unit area than terrestrial forests. In Belize, we have adopted a “carbocentric approach” to the protection and restoration of mangrove forests, especially in sensitive habitats like Placencia Lagoon. Long-standing mangroves in these areas are strong candidates for Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) projects in the near future through private owners and companies.
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For now, planting mangroves along the coast is an excellent way to engage the community and support ongoing research on mangrove ecosystems and their services. Mangroves are particularly well-suited for generating carbon credits due to their exceptional potential as carbon sinks, their resistance and resilience to natural hazards, and their extensive provision of ecosystem services.
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B-BLUE is committed to working with volunteers to plant mangroves in the tributary areas of Placencia Lagoon that have been affected by coastal erosion. Our mangrove restoration efforts utilize various techniques for planting in both high and low wave impact areas. This initiative promotes the protection of sensitive areas such as lagoons and increases local communities’ awareness and responsibility for managing mangroves sustainably.
Southern Belize Grouper Aquaculture-based Fisheries Enhacement Project
The Atlantic goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) is a critically endangered species facing a pronounced decline in population due to overfishing and the capture of undersized fish, which are often below reproductive age. Despite being an artisanal fishery, both juveniles and adults are taken from the wild and sold locally, preventing most juveniles from reaching adulthood and spawning. Additionally, the destruction of mangrove habitats along the coast of Belize exacerbates this threat, hindering the development of juvenile goliath grouper and other species.
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To address these issues, B-BLUE has committed to conducting research on goliath groupers for conservation and food security purposes in southern Belize, leveraging its network of academia, fishing cooperatives, and the local fishing community. Our proposed solution is a marine stock enhancement program, which involves releasing cultured species to enhance or restore fisheries. This responsible approach has successfully enhanced many fisheries and improved fisheries science and management worldwide.
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Grouper species have been tested in several countries as potential candidates for mariculture, and the high fecundity levels of female goliath groupers make them particularly suitable. This allows for a high rate of success in growing these giant groupers from eggs to juveniles. Aquaculture-based fisheries enhancement enables the restocking of critically endangered species or commercially important species, contributing to environmental sustainability and economic development.
In the future, B-BLUE is committed to farming Atlantic goliath groupers for both market purposes and restocking efforts in the wild, ensuring a sustainable population for future generations.
Sustainable Agriculture Development
This program is implemented in partnership with the Mayan communities of Golden Stream and Tambran, aiming to enhance local livelihoods, manage forest resources effectively, and preserve cultural heritage. It is designed to adapt farming practices to support traditional community livelihoods, including the cultivation of cacao, turmeric, ginger, and other crops. The initiative also focuses on boosting local capacities in cacao processing and export, thereby promoting sustainable economic development at the community level.
Current projects implemented by B-BLUE and partners
Cacao Agroforestry in Golden Stream and Tambran
Golden Stream and Tambran Village are two Mayan settlements located on the southern Belize highway close to Punta Gorda and the nearby Mayan ruin, Nim Li Punit. These Mayan communities have faced unstable incomes, further impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and job losses in the tourism sector. In response, B-BLUE was approached by the community to assist families struggling with food security and poverty. Initially, food donations were conducted, but it was soon recognized that this was not a long-term solution.
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The greatest resource of the Mayan families was their land, which they manage through a communal land system. Seeking greater financial stability, a group of farmers proposed an agroforestry project to B-BLUE. This initiative aims to revive traditional Mayan cacao cultivation while protecting forests through sustainable agroforestry practices. This approach allows farmers to move away from slash-and-burn techniques, which negatively impact biodiversity, and instead promotes forest conservation symbiotically with cacao farming. These traditional methods ensure the continuation of organic farming practices, preserving the rich flavors and aroma of cacao beans.
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In late 2020, we planted 500 cacao seedlings in the Mayan villages of Golden Stream and Tambran as an alternative livelihood for these economically hard-hit communities. This initiative also supports Mayan women, who are currently establishing the Golden Stream Women's Cooperative, allowing them to tend to the cacao farms while their husbands and sons work in neighboring commercial farm fields or other areas of Belize. To ensure a sustainable and balanced ecosystem, we planted one mahogany tree for every ten cacao seedlings, providing necessary shade and contributing to the conservation of the endangered mahogany species in Belize.
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Cacao agroforestry offers numerous benefits, including providing alternative livelihoods and creating new economic opportunities for communities. It enhances biodiversity by supporting a diverse range of plant and animal species and contributes significantly to carbon sequestration by capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide, thereby helping to mitigate climate change. Additionally, cacao agroforestry plays a vital role in soil conservation by preventing erosion and promoting nutrient cycling within terrestrial ecosystems. The cultivation of cacao serves as a sustainable resource with diverse applications, including food production, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Moreover, cacao farming fosters economic diversification through the development of related industries such as processing and product innovation.
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The cultivation of cacao has diversified from its primary use for direct consumption to include uses in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other value-added products. This agroforestry approach has enabled community members to diversify their income and has created new income streams for eco-tour guides and local conservation efforts. Together, we enhance the productivity, sustainable trade, and research of cacao and associated agroforestry practices, fostering a sustainable and thriving community and environment.
Turmeric Farming in Golden Stream and Tambran
Turmeric farming offers a multitude of benefits, providing alternative livelihoods and creating new economic opportunities for communities. Known for its health benefits and medicinal effects, turmeric supports biodiversity by promoting the growth of various plant species and contributes to soil health by enhancing nutrient cycling. Additionally, turmeric farming plays a vital role in soil conservation by preventing erosion and improving soil structure. The cultivation of turmeric serves as a sustainable resource with diverse applications, including food, health supplements, and cosmetics. Moreover, turmeric farming fosters economic diversification through the development of related industries such as processing and product innovation.
Turmeric farming also benefits the environment by promoting sustainable agricultural practices that reduce the need for chemical pesticides, conserve water, and sequester carbon. These practices enhance overall ecosystem health and resilience, contributing positively to climate change mitigation and environmental sustainability.
In Golden Stream and Tambran, we have introduced turmeric farming as an alternative livelihood for the economically hard-hit Mayan communities. The turmeric species grown here is renowned for its high curcuminoid content, making it particularly valuable for health and medicinal purposes. This initiative empowers Mayan women, allowing them to tend to the turmeric farms while their husbands and sons work in neighboring commercial farm fields or other areas of Belize.
The cultivation of turmeric has expanded from its primary use in culinary applications to include health supplements, cosmetics, and other value-added products. This farming approach has enabled community members to diversify their income and created new income streams for eco-tour guides and local conservation efforts. Together, we enhance the productivity, sustainable trade, and research of turmeric farming practices, fostering a sustainable and thriving community and environment.