Countdown Indicators Breakdown
The Food Systems Countdown Initiative (FSCI) is a collaborative interdisciplinary effort to monitor global food systems. The Countdown developed a framework that includes five themes: (1) diets, nutrition, and health; (2) environment, natural resources, and production; (3) livelihoods, poverty, and equity; (4) governance; and (5) resilience and identified 50 indicators across these themes. This page presents national level data for these 50 indicators for Belize.
Belize income group: Upper Middle Income
Comparison
Belize
Central America
World
Diets, Nutrition, and Health
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Belize
3.1
Central America
4.05
World
3.36
PPP dollar/capita/day
Cost of a healthy diet
3.1 PPP dollar/capita/day
Per-person cost of the least expensive locally available foods to meet daily needs, based on food-based dietary guidelines
2022
Source FAOSTAT
Belize
62%
Central America
36%
World
25%
Percent of the population who cannot afford a healthy diet
62%
Belize
137.1
Central America
248
World
162.3
g/capita/day
Availability of fruits
137.1 g/capita/day
Amount of fruits—an underconsumed yet highly nutritious food group—available in a country’s food supply per capita per day
2022
Source FAOSTAT
Belize
144.5
Central America
167.4
World
338.1
g/capita/day
Availability of vegetables
144.5 g/capita/day
Amount of vegetables—an underconsumed yet highly nutritious food group—available in a country’s food supply per capita per day
2022
Source FAOSTAT
Central America
46%
World
68%
Percent of the population using safely managed drinking water services (SDG 6.1.1)
No Data
Share of the population that gets drinking water from an improved source, providing the clean water essential for food security (SDG 6.1.1)
Belize
325.3
Central America
365.8
World
342.8
USD/capita
Retail value (total sales) of ultra-processed foods per capita
325.3 USD/capita
Annual perperson sales of ultra-processed foods, which are known to be associated with poor health outcomes
2023
Central America
84%
World
66%
MDD-W: Minimum dietary diversity for women (SDG 2.2.4)
No Data
Share of women who consumed at least the minimum recommended food groups the previous day, which makes it more likely they consume adequate micronutrients
Central America
54%
World
39%
All-5: Consumption of all five food groups
No Data
Share of the adult population consuming all five food groups typically recommended for daily consumption
Central America
4.7
World
3.8
NCD-Protect
No Data
Average score for adults on an indicator of dietary practices protective against noncommunicable diseases, like eating enough fiber, on a scale from 0 to 9
Central America
2.9
World
2.1
NCD-Risk
No Data
Average score for adults on an indicator of dietary practices known to raise the risk of noncommunicable diseases, like eating too much sugar, on a scale from 0 to 9
Central America
5%
World
11%
Adults: Zero fruit or vegetable consumption
No Data
Share of adults who did not consume any fruits or vegetables the previous day
Central America
40%
World
19%
Adults: Soft drink consumption
No Data
Share of adults who consumed a sugar-sweetened soft drink, which are generally known to be unhealthy, during the previous day
Belize
5%
Central America
9%
World
45%
Prevalence of undernourishment (SDG 2.1.1)
5%
Share of the population that goes hungry—that is, lacks enough calories for a healthy, active life (SDG 2.1.1)
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Belize
46%
Central America
41%
World
33%
Percent population experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity (SDG 2.1.2)
46%
Share of the population experiencing food insecurity, measured according to the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) (SDG 2.1.2)
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Belize
58%
Central America
61%
World
32%
MDD (IYCF): Minimum dietary diversity for infants and young children
58%
Share of young children who consumed at least the minimum recommended food groups the previous day, which makes it more likely they consume adequate micronutrients
2015
Source UNICEF
Belize
30
Central America
20
World
39
% population 6-23 months
Children (6-23 months): Zero fruit or vegetable consumption
30% population 6-23 months
Share of young children who did not consume any fruits or vegetables the previous day
2015
Source UNICEF
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Environment, Natural Resources, and Production
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Belize
48%
Central America
50%
World
63%
Cropland nitrogen use efficiency
48%
Belize
0.4
Central America
0.3
World
0.5
tonnes/ha
Cereals yield
0.4 tonnes/ha
Yield, or production per unit area (tonnes per hectare)—an indicator of how efficient production is
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Belize
0.9
Central America
2.1
World
1.2
tonnes/ha
Fruit yield
0.9 tonnes/ha
Yield, or production per unit area (tonnes per hectare)—an indicator of how efficient production is
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Belize
0.6
Central America
2.1
World
1.4
tonnes/ha
Vegetable yield
0.6 tonnes/ha
Yield, or production per unit area (tonnes per hectare)—an indicator of how efficient production is
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Belize
7,454
Central America
16,254
World
30,819.5
100 g/animal
Cow's milk yield
7,454 100 g/animal
Yield, or production per animal (100 g per animal)—an indicator of how efficient production is
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Belize
204.1
Central America
207.1
World
200.6
kg/animal
Beef yield
204.1 kg/animal
Yield, or production per animal (100 g per animal)—an indicator of how efficient production is
2023
Source FAOSTAT
Belize
22.6
Central America
16.5
World
21.2
Fishery health index progress score
22.6
An indicator summarizing the availability and sustainability of fish, which are at risk of overfishing or environmental degradation
2021
Source Minderoo Foundation
Belize
6,147.8
Central America
43,615.6
World
83,692.6
kT CO2eq
Agri-food systems greenhouse gas emissions
6,147.8 kT CO2eq
Belize
0.4
Central America
0.2
World
0.2
kg CO2eq/kg product
Greenhouse gas emissions intensity for cereals (excluding rice)
0.4 kg CO2eq/kg product
Greenhouse gas emissions (kg CO2 equivalents) per kilogram produced of cereals (excluding rice)
2021
Source FAOSTAT
Belize
0.7
Central America
0.8
World
1.1
kg CO2eq/kg product
Greenhouse gas emissions intensity for rice
0.7 kg CO2eq/kg product
Belize
2
Central America
0.9
World
1
kg CO2eq/kg product
Greenhouse gas emissions intensity for cow's milk
2 kg CO2eq/kg product
Belize
128
Central America
33.4
World
28.3
kg CO2eq/kg product
Greenhouse gas emissions intensity for beef
128 kg CO2eq/kg product
Belize
2
Central America
-1
World
0
% change
Cropland area change
2% change
Average percentage change in cropland over the previous five years; expanding cropland is a major driver of biodiversity and ecosystem service loss and greenhouse gas emissions
2021
Source FSCI
Belize
83
Central America
58
World
43
% agricultural land
Functional integrity: Agricultural land with minimum level of natural habitat
83% agricultural land
Percentage of agricultural land area with enough semi-natural or natural habitat, relative to the amount of cropland or rangeland, to maintain biodiversity and functioning ecosystems
2015
Source DeClerck et al. 2021
Belize
0%
Central America
11%
World
17%
Agriculture water withdrawal as percent of total renewable water resources
0%
Water withdrawn for irrigation each year, as a percentage of the total renewable water resources available
2020
Source AQUASTAT
Belize
10.1
Central America
6.7
World
4.6
kg/ha
Pesticide use per area of cropland
10.1 kg/ha
The use of pesticides per area of cropland (kg active ingredient per hectare); pesticide use can cause pollution and harm health
2022
Source FAOSTAT
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Livelihoods, Poverty, and Equity
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Belize
8
Central America
5
World
4
% GDP
Share of agriculture in GDP (SDG 2.a.1)
8% GDP
Percentage of a country’s GDP derived from agriculture, a measure of the level of economic development of the country
2022
Source FAOSTAT
Belize
10
Central America
3
World
4
% working age population
Unemployment rate (Rural)
10% working age population
Belize
21
Central America
12
World
7
% working age population
Underemployment rate (Rural)
21% working age population
Percentage of working-age people in rural areas who are underemployed (i.e., worked fewer hours than expected)
2019
Source ILO
Belize
39
Central America
50
World
58
% population
Social protection coverage
39% population
Percentage of people who live in households that benefit from social protection programs, like cash transfers and health insurance
2009
Source World Bank
Belize
23
Central America
26
World
23
% welfare of beneficiary households
Social protection adequacy
23% welfare of beneficiary households
An indicator showing the extent to which social protection is sufficient to meet household needs
2009
Source World Bank
Belize
2
Central America
4
World
8
% children 5-17
Percent of children 5-17 years engaged in child labor
2% children 5-17
Percentage of children ages 5–17 who are engaged in child labor, the majority of which is known to be in the food system and specifically in agriculture
2013
Source UNICEF
Central America
16
World
31
% female land owners
Share of women among owners or rights-bearers of agricultural land (SDG 5.a.1)
No Data
A measure of the share of women among owners or rights-bearers of agricultural land
Source SDG Indicators Data Portal
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Governance
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Central America
0.5
World
0.6
Civil society participation index
No Data
An indicator capturing the level of participation in civil society organizations
Source Varieties of Democracy
Belize
0%
Central America
12%
World
11%
Percent of the urban population living in cities signed onto the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact
0%
Percentage of the urban population that lives in cities signed on to the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, suggesting prioritization of food issues in urban planning
2023
Belize
1
Central America
1.8
World
1.1
Degree of legal recognition of the right to food
Some other implicit recognition, codification of international statutes, or other pertinent provisions
Belize
1
Central America
0.9
World
0.6
Presence of a national food system transformation pathway
Yes
Belize
-0.4
Central America
-0.4
World
0
Government effectiveness index
-0.4
An index capturing the perception of how effective the government is in making and enforcing policies and providing services
2022
Source World Governance Indicators
Belize
80
Central America
78.8
World
69.5
Food safety capacity
80
Whether functioning mechanisms exist to detect and respond to foodborne disease issues, measured as the percentage of a set of criteria met
2020
Belize
0
Central America
1.6
World
1.1
Presence of national health-related food environment policies
None
Whether the country has any health-related food environment policies, which are used to discourage consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages or encourage the consumption of healthy foods and beverages.
2023
Central America
0.6
World
0.6
V-Dem accountability index
No Data
An index capturing the extent to which the government is seen as being accountable for its actions
Source Varieties of Democracy
Central America
75.3
World
43
Open budget index score
No Data
A score based on how easily the public can access information about how the government raises and spends money
Belize
1
Central America
1
World
0.7
Guarantees for public access to information (SDG 16.10.2)
Yes
Whether the country has and implements guarantees for access to information (SDG 16.10.2)
2022
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Resilience
Less Desirable
More Desirable
Belize
0
Central America
0.923
World
2.252
Ratio of total damages from all disasters to GDP
0
Belize
0.6
Central America
0.7
World
0.7
Dietary sourcing flexibility index
0.6
An index capturing the diversity of pathways through which food reaches consumers, indicating how difficult it is to disrupt the food supply
2019
Source
FAO
Belize
66
Central America
118.1
World
110.1
Number per 100 people
Mobile cellular subscriptions
66 Number per 100 people
Number of mobile phone subscriptions as a percentage of the population, indicating the level of infrastructure and access to information to respond to shocks
2021
Belize
0.3
Central America
0.3
World
0.5
Social capital index
0.3
An index for the social capital in the country—how much people feel they can trust and can rely on their government and one another
2021
Source Legatum InstituteFSCI
Belize
29
Central America
28
World
25
% agricultural land
Proportion of agricultural land with minimum level of species diversity (crop and pasture)
29% agricultural land
Percentage of agricultural land (crop and pasture) containing a sufficient diversity of species, which helps cope with shocks and changes
2020
Source
Jones et al. 2021
Central America
13,329.6
World
42,858.9
Number of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture secured in either medium- or long-term conservation facilities (SDG 2.5.1a)
No Data
Number of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture secured in medium- or long-term conservation facilities (SDG 2.5.1)
Source FAOSTAT
Central America
0
World
2.9
Number of animal genetic resources for food and agriculture secured in either medium- or long-term conservation facilities (SDG 2.5.1b)
No Data
Number of animal genetic resources for food and agriculture secured in medium- or long-term conservation facilities (SDG 2.5.1)
Source FAOSTAT
Central America
0.2
World
0.2
Prevalence of severe coping strategies
No Data
Percentage of high-risk populations who need to rely on extreme strategies to cope with food insecurity
Source
WFP
Belize
0.5
Central America
0.6
World
0.7
Food price volatility
0.5
Belize
41
Central America
26.5
World
32.2
kcal/capita/day
Food supply variability
41 kcal/capita/day
How much the food supply (in calories per person per day) varies over time, indicating how well the food system can respond to shocks
2021
Source FAOSTAT
Less Desirable
More Desirable