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Belize

cultivation . About half of this is used as pasture, with the rest going for permanent and annual crops. With so much available land, the government of Belize has made developing agriculture a priority . More than one-fifth of Belize’s workers are agricultural workers. Earlier in its history, Belizean farmers used a system called milpa — clearing new land for crops or pasture as soils wore out (this practice was also used in colonial America). In recent years the Department of Agriculture in Belize has mounted a campaign to teach farmers how to replenish the soil with fertilizer. More farmers are using tractors and other mechanical means, too, to maximize the yield of their orchards and fields. In Belize, rice, beans, and corn are grown as subsistence crops—that is, foods grown primarily to be eaten by the local people. Agricultural exports

Words to Understand in this Chapter

cultivation— planting, growing, and harvesting crops or plants, or preparing land for this purpose. draft— the depth of water a ship must have to float while loaded. duty— a tax on goods, especially imports and exports. priority— of first importance. reforestation— replanting trees in great numbers. revenue— sources of income, such as taxes, that a country receives into its treasury for public use. rural— in the countryside.

subsistence— necessary for life. urban— having to do with a city.