Caribbean News
AMEXCID and FAO Facilitate School Feeding Training in Belize
#Belize, December 29, 2023 – In an effort to strengthen the capacity of individuals involved in school feeding programs and promote healthy eating habits among school children, the Belizean component of the Mesoamerica Hunger-Free AMEXCID-FAO program conducted a series of training sessions. These included virtual sessions held on November 21st, 28th, and December 6th, and in-person cook training sessions on December 9th and 16th. The sessions brought together a diverse group of participants, including school principals, cooks, PTA members, school
staff, and Ministry of Education personnel within the government feeding programs – National Healthy Start school feeding program (primary schools) and the Education Upliftment program (high schools).
The three virtual training sessions were specifically designed to enhance the capabilities and skills of officials responsible for the School Feeding Program. These sessions were crucial in facilitating the expansion of school feeding programs, school gardens, and nutrition education within the education curriculum.
The key objectives included providing an overview of healthy school environments, emphasizing the importance of school feeding to children’s health, reviewing food health and safety protocols in school kitchens, and introducing basic nutrition needs for students.
The inaugural session, conducted by Cathleen Juan, Mesoamerica Hunger-Free AMEXCID-FAO and School Feeding Coordinator, covered topics such as the introduction of the term “Healthy School Environment,” components of such an environment, an overview of diet-related non-communicable diseases, statistics on overweight/obesity, and the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages among school children in Belize. Additionally, discussions on ultra processed foods, reading food labels, and healthy alternatives for school snacks were presented.
Led by Ms. Lisa Marin Sanchez, Senior Public Health Inspector from the Ministry of Health, the second session covered topics such as food handler’s responsibilities, types of contamination and prevention measures, personal hygiene and handwashing, purchasing safe food, proper food storage, and safe food preparation and cooking practices, with a focus on time and temperature controls. One of the most insightful takeaways from Ms. Lisa’s session was her revelation about the most common food safety infraction observed in kitchens: the lack of temperature controls.
The third and final virtual session, held on December 6th, featured Doris Sutherland, nutritionist from FAO Belize, who offered a deep dive into essential topics, such as an overview of food groups and appropriate portion sizes, the nutritional significance of fruits, vegetables, proteins, and staples in a child’s diet, and an introduction to the school feeding menu. The session also provided valuable insights into menu planning, recipe formats, ingredient substitution, and methods to encourage children to embrace fruits and vegetables.
The Program’s emphasis on inclusivity, evidenced by the virtual format accommodating even those from areas with limited resources, underscores its dedication to making a meaningful impact on school feeding programs across Belize.
Following the virtual sessions, in-person training was conducted for school feeding head cooks, focusing on
nutrition, food safety, school menus, and utilizing local produce. These sessions took place at Ladyville Technical High School, Belize District with participation from 16 schools across four districts.
During these in-person sessions, cooks practiced calculating ingredients for 100 children and learned about the ice water calibration method for thermometers. They were divided into groups to prepare various dishes, highlighting the use of vegetables and the absence of added sugar in flavorful recipes. Each school represented was given two thermometers for their kitchen.
These training sessions have successfully equipped participants with a deeper understanding of the significance of healthy food choices and food safety practices in the context of school feeding, reinforcing the valuable lessons learned and ensuring a brighter, healthier future for Belizean schoolchildren.
The Mesoamerica Hunger-Free AMEXCID-FAO program remains committed to fostering a comprehensive understanding of aspects to promote healthier school environments and, consequently, the well-being of the children involved, promoting public policies in favor of food and nutritional security in the country.
Caption: The objectives of the cook training sessions were to familiarize cooks with the recipe structure used in the menus (standardized for 50 servings), teach cooks to use the menu planning tool in the school kitchen protocol book, instruct on the use of thermometers during food preparation, and introduce new ways of preparing local fruits and vegetables.
Imagine an Atlantic Bridge connecting the Caribbean Region to the African Continent
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — When CARICOM leaders convened with African counterparts and Afreximbank officials in Ethiopia, the outcomes were savory and exactly what many Caribbean people want to see materialise as the islands become uniquely reconnected to the African continent.
At the Second CARICOM-Africa Summit, held at the African Union headquarters, leaders moved beyond symbolic language to agree on a draft communiqué that, if finalized, would anchor this partnership in practical action. While not yet officially published by the AU or CARICOM, the document points to an agenda that blends history with urgent twenty-first century priorities.
The draft outlines commitments to improve air and sea transport links, including the pursuit of a multilateral air services agreement to break down the barriers that still keep the Caribbean and Africa physically apart. It also calls for visa facilitation and simplified entry regimes, making it easier for citizens of both regions to travel, study, and work across the Atlantic.
Equally significant are pledges to advance double taxation treaties that could remove one of the most stubborn obstacles to investment.
With Afreximbank’s Caribbean headquarters already established in Barbados and the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) gaining momentum, leaders now want to lock in the financial and legal frameworks that will drive new business.
Reparatory justice also featured prominently, with the draft communiqué sharpening a joint call for coordinated advocacy. CARICOM’s long-standing Reparations Commission is expected to work more closely with African institutions to demand global recognition and redress for the shared traumas of slavery and colonial exploitation.
CARICOM’s incoming chair, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew of St. Kitts and Nevis, captured the spirit of the gathering when he urged that the Atlantic Slave Trade be reimagined as an “Atlantic Bridge — a bridge of hope, a bridge of advancement, a bridge that will ensure our people take their rightful place in this world.”
For Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett, the meeting was a “homecoming,” but also a reminder that concrete steps like the Health Development Partnership for Africa and the Caribbean (HeDPAC) and improved transportation links are needed to transform rhetoric into results.
For citizens back home, wrestling with inflation and economic uncertainty, the Addis outcomes — transport, visas, investment, health, and reparations — are precisely the kinds of measures that can validate leaders’ journeys and rekindle faith in South-South cooperation. What was once only rhetoric now hints at the beams of an Atlantic Bridge, connecting the Caribbean and Africa in ways that could finally turn history’s tragedy into tomorrow’s advantage.
