First-Ever Agricultural Drone Pilotage Course Wraps Up in Northern Belize

10.12.2024 447 views

Twenty-six participants have successfully completed Belize’s first-ever “Introductory Course to Agricultural Drone Pilotage,” a 42-hour training program aimed at modernising the country’s agriculture sector.

The training, conducted by Mexico-based DRTX Drones from Quintana Roo, sought to enhance the use of agricultural drones in Belizean farming. The course focused on increasing yields, cutting operational costs, and reducing pilot errors that could damage valuable resources. By equipping Belizean farmers with drone pilotage skills, officials hope to boost efficiency, improve profitability, and modernise the agricultural sector, particularly in the Corozal and Orange Walk districts.

Participants included local farmers, representatives from the Sugar Industry Research and Development Institute (SIRDI), the Pesticides Control Board (PCB), the Ministry of Agriculture, and educators from secondary and tertiary institutions in the Corozal District.

They were trained in key areas such as drone operation, crop monitoring, mapping, air safety, and pesticide application.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Office of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Investment through its Investment Policy and Compliance Unit (IPCU), was carried out in collaboration with the Corozal Think Tank, DRTX Drones, the Ministry of Agriculture, Corozal ITVET, the Pesticides Control Board, the Department of Civil Aviation, and the Corozal Town Council.

 

Source - https://edition.channel5belize.com

26.08.2026

Lithuania declares nationwide emergency after storm causes heavy damage

Lithuania’s government declared a nationwide “extreme situation” Wednesday following a severe weekend storm that caused extensive damage to crops, livestock and agricultural infrastructure.

26.08.2026

Cameroon Sets 2026 Planting Windows to Help Southern Farmers Reduce Crop Losses

Planting too early or too late can cost farmers part of their harvest. Cameroon’s National Observatory on Climate Change, or ONACC, has now set rainfall and planting windows for the second 2026 farming season across the country’s southern regions, giving producers a tool to reduce weather-related crop losses.

26.08.2026

Taiwan - Rains cause agricultural losses of NT$108m

Continuous heavy rains this past week have caused widespread agricultural damage across Taiwan, with nationwide losses of about NT$108 million (US$3.4 million) recorded as of 11am today, the Ministry of Agriculture said.

26.08.2026

USA - Eastern Shore farmers press state for more help with deer crop damage

Some Eastern Shore farmers are trying to make their voices heard about deer crop damage, saying they aren't getting enough help from the state to manage the problem.

26.08.2026

USA - A device that smells plants? How this small patch could help prevent crop loss

The ongoing fallout from the drought is impacting farmers’ crops across our state. Yield loss isn’t anything new, but technology made in our state can help prevent crop loss. 

26.08.2026

Ethiopia secures €4 million EIB climate insurance financing to protect 210,000 smallholder farmers

Ethiopia is set to receive up to €4 million from the European Investment Bank’s development arm, EIB Global, to develop and expand climate-risk insurance for about 210,000 smallholder farmers, as the country seeks to close a persistent gap in agricultural finance and protect rural incomes from droughts, floods and other weather-related shocks.

25.08.2026

Avocado growers in New Zealand assess crop losses after -5°C frost

New Zealand avocado growers are assessing crop losses after temperatures fell to around -5°C on the nights of August 5 and 6. The frost affected orchards in several growing regions, including the Bay of Plenty, as the harvest was building.

25.08.2026

Insurtech Veltha builds AI claims adjuster for workers’ comp and crop insurance

Veltha, a Y Combinator S26 Insurtech startup, is building an AI claims adjuster for regulated insurance markets, starting with workers’ compensation and crop insurance.