Ya’axché celebrates the outstanding achievements and initiatives of MGL farmers in climate-smart agriculture.  Ya’axché Farmers’ Expo is Ya’axché’s annual event that celebrates the climate-smart agricultural practices farmers implement in the Maya Golden Landscape (MGL). In 2010, the Expo started as a “Race against Fire”, an event that invited community members of the MGL to participate […]

The Maya Golden Landscape (MGL) beekeepers are versatile and hardworking Belizeans earning a sustainable livelihood and securing wealth in nature for future generations.  The Maya Golden Landscape (MGL) farmers wake up every day before the sun rises, filling a gallon of water, tucking boots, grabbing a sharp machete and head to their farms. The MGL […]

Thirty-one farmers are at the forefront, making history implementing Belize’s first agroforestry concession — a climate-smart farming adaptation contributing to sustainable development. As residents of Trio Village, a community buffering a protected area, the farmers envisioned gaining legal access to the 36,000 acre Maya Mountain North Forest Reserve (MMNFR) in 2012. Five years after the approval of […]

Forests provide communities with clean fresh-water, medicine, food, non-timber forest products, recreational opportunities, spiritual benefits and other ecological services. Wise Maya communities practice sustainable extraction of forest resources to supply their basic needs for a healthy and sustainable living. Forests are prominently known for providing and maintaining clean water. They are critical in minimizing soil erosion, […]

Farmers, community members, and Ya’axché staff gathered at the first community forum to share what we have accomplished together over the years. On Friday, November 22nd, Ya’axché Conservation Trust’s first Community Forum brought together residents of Indian Creek, San Pedro Columbia, Silver Creek, San Jose, Aguacate, Big Falls, Golden Stream, Medina Bank and Bella Vista […]

Business-minded, indigenous Q’eqchi’ Maya women are important forest keepers and are contributing to community development in the Maya Golden Landscape. The forests in southern Belize provide forest communities with fertile soils, food, shelter and clean water. In the Maya Golden Landscape, Q’eqchi’ Maya women make delicious corn tortillas and cook nutritious meals for their families over […]

Communities of the Maya Golden Landscape were engaged in forest governance discussions, critical in the development of a REDD+ strategy for Belize. Forest communities are critical stakeholders in forest protection and sustainable development. In September 2019, Ya’axché facilitated informative meetings on REDD+, a readiness preparation project led by the Belizean government and funded by the World […]

Indigenous Q’eqchi’ Maya farmer Daniel Chiquin, a small scale farmer in the Maya Golden Landscape, is contributing to Belize’s green economy. Young Daniel prepared for school, he watched his father Martin Chiquin as he prepared for his daily task of cleaning around orange trees on the family farm. The citrus industry was booming and farmers […]

Ya’axché continues providing organic biofertilizer production training to men, women and youth in the Maya Golden Landscape. Biofertilizers are organic, natural alternatives to chemical fertilizers used to increase the soil fertility to promote higher yields. The organic biofertilizer is an alternative to chemical fertilizers, still, widely used in the agriculture sector in Belize, despite the […]

Ya’axché Summer Camp engaged 100 youths from nine communities in fun active learning activities focused on forest governance in the Maya Golden Landscape. Youths from Indian Creek, San Miguel, Bladen, Trio, Silver Creek, Golden Stream, San Pedro Columbia, Big Falls and Medina Bank villages, joined us for 2 weeks at Ya’axché’s field station to learn […]