Roberto Harrison
Director
1. DATE OF BIRTH: February 27, 1964
2. NATIONALITY: Belizean
3. EDUCATION AND TRAINING
M.Sc. University of the West Indies, Trinidad &Tobago (2001)
Agriculture Diversification (Focus: Agri-business and Marketing)
B.Sc. Prairie View A & M University, Prairie View, Texas
Agriculture (1994) (Focus: Agriculture Economics)
Diploma Belize College of Agriculture, Central Farm Belize (1984)
Agriculture (Focus: General Agriculture)
4. CAPABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE
Thirty-five years working in Agricultural Development and related activities.
Six years working in Export and Investment Promotion
Twenty years in Senior Managerial position
Participated and coordinated various Extension and Training Seminars and Workshops, Research and Development Symposium, Technical and Administrative Conferences, Meetings and Workshops and other in-service training at local, national, regional and international levels during period of employment in Belize
Have extensive travel experience in Central America and Caribbean region
Counterpart experience with Policy Makers, Senior Professionals, Technical and International consultants
Spearheaded the restructuring of the Belize Marketing and Development Corporation (2002-03)
Spearheaded the Institutional Transformation of BELTRAIDE in 2006
Successfully lobbied the Commonwealth Secretariat and the International Trade Center for technical and financial assistance in the creation of a National Export Strategy for Belize (2005)
Coordinated the Development of a National Export Strategy for Belize funded by Commonwealth Secretariat
Designed and Coordinated the Market Information System Project under the Agriculture Enterprise Development Project funded under the BRDP
Designed and Prepared project for the creation of A National Policy for SME in Belize and successful approval of $75,000 US
Assisted in the Design and Preparation of a Project Proposal for the Revision and Implementation of a National Export Strategy for Belize funded by Caribbean Development Bank
Assisted in the Design and Preparation of a Project Proposal for the Development of a MSME Policy for Belize funded by Caribbean Development Bank
Responsible for Adult Leader Training for the Scouts Association of Belize
FAO Consultant – Food Assessment of Belize. July-Oct, 2021
FAO Consultant – Sustainable and Inclusive Belize Project – April-June, 2022
5. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Agriculture Extension Officer, Department of Agriculture (1983-1989)
Agricultural Information Officer, Ministry of Agriculture (1989-1994)
Agricultural Economist, Policy Analysis & Economics Unit – Ministry of Agriculture (1994-2002)
Senior Marketing Officer – Belize Marketing & Development Corporation (2002-2004)
Manager – Export Promotion & Marketing, Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (June 2004 -2006)
General Manager – BELTRAIDE (June 2006 to October 15, 2010)
Belize Agriculture Census Coordinator – Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries (January 2011 to June 2011)
Director of Extension – Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture – July 2011 – July 2013
Chief Agriculture Officer – Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture – August 1, 2013 – August 31, 2016
Environmental Economist – BIOFIN/CD2 Projects, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries (Jan 2017 – August 2017)
Executive Secretary, Council of Ministers of Agriculture of Central America (SICA) – Sept 2017- July 2021