Deputy Programme Manager, Agriculture and Agro-Industries, CARICOM Secretariat
Milagro Matus
Ms Milagro Matus has 10 years working experience in Agriculture Policy. She graduated from the University of West Indies with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Law and holds a Master’s degree in International Trade Policy.
Ms. Matus has worked at Ministry of Agriculture of Belize for a significant number of years. Heading the Policy and Planning Unit with main responsibilities relating to policy development and implementation, agriculture statistics, trade, digitization, and public-private sector dialogue.
During her time at the Ministry, Ms.Matus led the conceptualization, development, implementation and resource mobilization for Belize’s first Information Management System (BAIMS) which holds a registry of all farmers, farms and production activity in the country of Belize. She also led development, implementation, and resource mobilization for the 2018 National Agriculture Census. Moreover, she also led the development of Agrilinks, an online government digital agriculture marketing platform linking farmers or producers to buyers.
Among her other achievements during her time at the Ministry she led the negotiations for the agriculture components of the renegotiation of the Partial Scope Agreement (PSA) between Belize and Guatemala and the Partnership Agreement between Belize and Taiwan.
Ms. Matus also led the agriculture team in negotiating with the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture for the facilitation of trade in cattle between both countries. She also supported the facilitation of trade for priority commodities into El Salvador. Among other things, Ms. Matus served as the lead writer for the National Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (DANA) and was the lead writer for the agriculture component of the assessment.
Currently Ms. Matus works at the CARICOM Secretariat as the Deputy Programme Manager for Agriculture. Her responsibilities include that of promoting increased production and productivity, facilitating technical capacity building, market access and penetration, investment, intra-regional and international trade, regional policy development, access to finance, climate smart adaptation, transportation and resource mobilization.
Ms. Matus has worked at Ministry of Agriculture of Belize for a significant number of years. Heading the Policy and Planning Unit with main responsibilities relating to policy development and implementation, agriculture statistics, trade, digitization, and public-private sector dialogue.
During her time at the Ministry, Ms.Matus led the conceptualization, development, implementation and resource mobilization for Belize’s first Information Management System (BAIMS) which holds a registry of all farmers, farms and production activity in the country of Belize. She also led development, implementation, and resource mobilization for the 2018 National Agriculture Census. Moreover, she also led the development of Agrilinks, an online government digital agriculture marketing platform linking farmers or producers to buyers.
Among her other achievements during her time at the Ministry she led the negotiations for the agriculture components of the renegotiation of the Partial Scope Agreement (PSA) between Belize and Guatemala and the Partnership Agreement between Belize and Taiwan.
Ms. Matus also led the agriculture team in negotiating with the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture for the facilitation of trade in cattle between both countries. She also supported the facilitation of trade for priority commodities into El Salvador. Among other things, Ms. Matus served as the lead writer for the National Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (DANA) and was the lead writer for the agriculture component of the assessment.
Currently Ms. Matus works at the CARICOM Secretariat as the Deputy Programme Manager for Agriculture. Her responsibilities include that of promoting increased production and productivity, facilitating technical capacity building, market access and penetration, investment, intra-regional and international trade, regional policy development, access to finance, climate smart adaptation, transportation and resource mobilization.