ABSTRACT
Belize, a small internally self-governing colony of Britain located on the east coast of Central America, is no exception. This micro-state of approximately 22 015 km2and a population estimated at 135 000 in 1980 is unique, however, in its vigorous planning for independence from Britain. To understand the Belizian economy, its reliance on Britain and the limited subsistence agricultural development, one must consider the country’s colonial heritage. The cultural remnants of this exploitative system still linger. They serve to hinder growth and development. The provision grounds were devoted primarily to subsistence production, but a substantial amount of the harvest was exchanged in the nearby camps for cash. The colonial legacy and present day social and economic conditions have retarded the progress and development of Belizian peasant agriculture. Crop failures and reduced yields associated with climatic hazards further reduce the interest in peasant agriculture.
