Photo: Musical Entertainment
by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Wed. May 1, 2024
The National Agriculture and Trade Show (NATS) 2024 took place last weekend—from April 26 to 28—under the theme “Integrating Sustainable Food Systems: Mitigating Climate Change, Strengthening Agriculture Resilience”.
The three-day event kicked off on Friday evening with an opening ceremony at which the winning Farmers of the Year—Sara Chub, the Female Farmer of the Year; Maura Escobar, the Junior Farmer of the Year; and Nandy Aldana, the Senior Farmer of the Year—were honored and sashed.
Approximately 41,000 visitors from throughout the country and abroad attended the event at the National Agriculture and Trade Grounds in Belmopan.
“The public has been coming; yesterday (Day 2) we had upward of 15,000 people attending; and today (Day 3) we anticipate that we’re going to have similar, if not higher numbers, when it comes to number of attendees,” Luis Pook, Communications Director for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, told Amandala on Sunday evening. He further commented, “I think it’s been a huge success, not just for the vendors, but the public.”
At the NATS expo, or “Agric” as it is affectionately called (already in its 52nd year), a variety of farmers, producers, artisans and businesses exhibited or sold a variety of natural produce, food, handmade art, plants, beverages, electronics, and services.
This year’s expo included horse racing, a dog show, and for a second year, a bartending competition.
The weekend’s intense weather in Belmopan, with temperatures rising to as high as 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity as high as 87%, did not dissuade families from coming out and investing in the annual affair.
Fortunately, even with the huge crowd spread throughout the 60-acre showgrounds, no major incidents were reported. This, Pook explained, is thanks to their close relationship with the Belize Police Department.
“We have always had a very good relationship with the Police Department. They’ve been on board on the organizing committee from the very beginning. We have very strong police presence at the fair, and in the past two years that we’ve had the fair post-COVID, and I think so far as well for this particular show, we have had zero incidents of any crime; and that’s because the police have a very strong presence all over the place,” Pook explained.
He added, “People should be aware that we have cameras at strategic locations on the grounds. So, it’s not a matter of doing whatever you want, and the police monitor that.”
On Tuesday, the Ministry issued a release thanking the public for their support, stating, “The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise would like to thank all those who attended the show, as well as the committee members who gave of their time and energy to help plan and coordinate this year’s event.”
“A special thanks to our sponsors and collaborating agencies, vendors, exhibitors, and service providers,” the release added.
