SURINAME FOOD SECURITY POLICY AND INITIATIVES

1. Country Profile- an overview

Suriname, located on the north-eastern coast
of South America, lies between latitudes 2°N
and 6°N and between longitudes 54°W and
58°W. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to
the north, French Guiana to the east, Brazil to
the south and Guyana to the west. The
country has a population of nearly 600,000,
with an area of 163 820 km2, of which
around 80 percent is covered with tropical
rain forests. For administrative purposes, the
country is divided into ten districts. The
capital is Paramaribo. Summary of the
demographic structure is given in Table 1.

TABLE 1: SURINAME DEMOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE

Total Population (2017 estimate) 591,919 (July 2017 est.)

Age structure (2017 estimate) 0-14 years: 24.62%

15-24 years: 17.44%
25-54 years: 44.4%
55-64 years: 7.54%
65 years and over: 6.01%

Religious Denomination (2012 estimate) Protestant 23.6% (includes, Moravian, Reformed,

Lutheran),
Hindu 22.3%,
Roman Catholic 21.6%,
Muslim 13.8%,
Others 18.6 %
Source: Index Mundi

2. Status of Food production

2.1 Local Agriculture Production
The agricultural sector continues to play an important role in national development in
Suriname through its contribution to growth in national income, employment, income
distribution, food and nutrition security sheet, as well as in inter-sectorial linkages.

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Three main crops of economic importance in terms of production are paddy (278,077
mt in 2016), Banana (61,0730 mt) , vegetables (of various types/ species, 26,839 mt),
Plantain (19,856 mt) and oranges and other citrus (14,672 mt) as shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2: QUANTITY HARVESTED OF CROPS IN TONS BY TYPE OF CROP

DESCRIPTION 2014 2015 2016

1 Dried paddy 275,851 276,458 278,077
2 Maize 87 82 89
3 Cassava 7,129 5,879 7,314
4 Other tubers 2,369 2,310 2,615
5 Peanut 31 25 22
6 Urdi 119 116 106
7 Other pulses 141 104 57
8 Vegetables 24,569 24,142 26,839
9 Watermelon 2,202 2,204 1,867
10 Bananas 77,014 68,991 61,073
11 Plantain 24,688 20,447 19,856
12 Pine-Apple 1,109 1,059 1,184
13 Passion fruit 1,035 808 504
14 Pawpaw (papaya) 811 824 713
15 Coconut 12,088 12,689 14,672
16 Oranges & other citrus 18.532 15.784 14.762
17 Grapefruit 1,053 1,057 1,032
18 Pamelo 2,484 2,155 2,065
19 Avocado 220 161 42
20 Mango 2.676 2,599 2,700
21 Cherry 692 907 902
22 Other crops 1,604 1,616 2,148
TOTAL QUANTITY HARVESTED 457.296 440.417 438.639
Source: Suriname Agricultural Statistics (2017)

Suriname has 36,000 heads of cattle producing 1,934 mt of beef and 3.5 million litres
of milk (Table 3). It is also producing 7,914 mt of poultry meat and 107 million pieces
of eggs in 2016.

TABLE 3: PRODUCTION OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS

DESCRIPTION 2014 2015 2016

LIVESTOCK:
Total cattle (head) 36,138 37,620 35,763
Total pigs (head) 36,422 36,716 35,395
Total other livestock * 981 1,131 1,070
Total sheep and goats 9,831 10,706 10,234
Total chicken and other poultry ('000 birds) 5,098 5,439 4,697

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 PRODUCTION:
Fresh Milk ('000 litres) 4,075 4,035 3,512
Eggs '000 pieces 52,937 72,017 107,724
Cattle (beef) (mt) 1,660 1,474 1,934
swine meat (mt) 2,245 2,231 2,490
Sheeps and goats (mutton) (mt) 18 18 23
Chicken and other poultry (mt) 8,901 9,476 7,914
Source: Suriname Agricultural Statistics (2017)

2.2 Export of Agriculture Produce

In 2016, the total export quantity of agriculture produce was 209,665 mt with a value
of SRD 532 million equivalent to USD 144 million. From Table 4, the three topmost
produce for export are rice (58% by volume, 49% by value) , banana and fish products.

TABLE 4: EXPORT QUANTITY AND VALUE OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERY PRODUCE

DESCRIPTION 2014 2015 2016 % OF TOTAL, 2016
QUANTITY: MT
Rice products 103,755 99,663 121,609 58.0%
Bananas ** 75,261 66,178 56,099 26.8%
Vegetables 2,717 2,363 2,405 1.1%
Fruit (excl. Bananas) 431 272 192 0.1%
Processed vegetables, fruits and 409 266 1,260 0.6%
plant parts
Fish products 28,991 29,270 24,433 11.7%
Crustaceans 2,778 3,136 3,611 1.7%
TOTAL EXPORT QUANTITY 214,391 201,194 209,666 100.0%
VALUE: SRD 1,000
Rice products 179,814 147,097 237,198 49.3%
Bananas ** 109,446 83,273 111,867 23.2%
Vegetables 4,746 3,660 6,599 1.4%
Fruit (excl. Bananas) 505 288 363 0.1%
Processed vegetables, fruits 702 791 7,563 1.6%
and plant parts
Fish products 80,157 78,722 111,501 23.2%
Crustaceans 38,854 45,504 5,721 1.2%
TOTAL EXPORT VALUE, SRD ‘000 414,625 359,471 481,159 100.0%
TOTAL EXPORT VALUE, USD ‘000 127,577 97,154 143,959
Source: Suriname Agricultural Statistics (2017)

CARICOM is its major market for rice (55% of its export) followed by Europe (55% of its
export volume) followed by Europe (29%) and South America (15%) (Table 5)

TABLE 5 : EXPORT DESTINATION OF RICE

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EXPORT DESTINATION

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 Region and Country: 2014 2015 2016 %
Caribbean area
Aruba 422 2,648 2,883
Dominican Republic 12
Gaudeloupe 299 293 353
Haiti 6,475 7,255 1,135
Jamaica 65,767 62,468 55,053
Martinique 505 627 1,388
Netherlands Antilles 100 73 0
Trinidad 648 599 724
Other 37 93 75
TOTAL 74,265 74,056 61,611 55%
South America
Brazil - 0 5,300
French Guyana 1,905 2,119 2,174
Guyana 50 2,792 750
Other - 13,000 8,620
TOTAL 1,955 17,911 16,844 15%
North and Central America 14,700 0 0
Europe
Belgium - 500 1,920
France 2,100 1,650 220
Netherlands 1,000 4,111 2,445
Portugal 9,215 0 17,300
Switzerland - 1,075 5,550
Other 520 240 5,064
TOTAL 12,835 7,576 32,499 29%
Other countries 0 120 440 0%
GENERAL TOTAL 103,755 99,663 111,394 100%
Source: Suriname Agricultural Statistics (2017)

Fish and fishery products were produced in abundance both for local and export
markets. As per Table 6, in 2016 Suriname’s of fish and fishery products (fish and
crustaceans) amounted to 13.4% of total agriculture export volume, equivalent to
SRD111 millions or 24.4% of its total export value.

TABLE 6: EXPORT QUANTITY AND VALUE OF FISH PRODUCTS

FISH PRODUCTS 2014 2015 2016
QUANTITY (MT)
Fresh fish and fish parts 13,680 12,116 8,064
Frozen fish and fish parts 10,310 12,023 12,107
Fish filets (fresh, frozen, dried etc.) 4,851 5,028 4,163
Smoked, dried and salted fish 150 103 100
Frozen shrimps and prawns** 2,691 3,108 3,562
Other crustaceans 87 28 49
TOTAL 28,991 29,270 24,433
VALUE ( SRD '000)
Fresh fish and fish parts 23,513 19,017 18,412
Frozen fish and fish parts 20,369 22,731 40,489

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 Fish filets (fresh, frozen, dried etc.) 35,414 35,987 51,703
Smoked, dried and salted fish 861 987 897
Frozen shrimps and prawns** 38,197 45,266 56,441
Other crustaceans 657 238 769
TOTAL 80,157 78,722 111,501
Source: Suriname Agricultural Statistics (2017)

2.3 Importation of Meat Products

However, Suriname is a net importer of meat and meat products. For example in 2016,
Suriname imported 22,925 mt of meat products (salted meat and poultry meat) with
a value of SRD 112 millions (Table 7) .

TABLE 7: QUANTITY AND VALUE OF IMPORTED MEAT

2014 2015 2016
Salted meat - Quantity (mt) 888 578 207
- Value (SRD '000) 15,089 11,467 4,919
Chicken and other poultry 18 23,880 22,718
- quantity (mt)
- value (SRD 000) 80 105,433 107,128
TOTAL QUANTITY (mt) 906 24,458 22,925
TOTAL VALUE (SRD ‘000) 15,169 116,900 112,047
Source: Suriname Agricultural Statistics (2017)

3. Suriname Food Security Policy

The Government of Suriname has, in its National Development Plan, identified Food Security
as one of the key priority initiatives. The Government is cognizant of the close
interrelationship between poverty, income inequality, food, nutrition and health in national
development. The Suriname Food Security Policy document (2012) has identified the four
pillars which is summarised in Table 8.
TABLE 8: FOUR PILLARS OF SURINAME NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY POLICIES

Pillars Policy goal Policy objectives

1 Food promote the sustainable
availability production of safe,
affordable, nutritious and
high quality local foods
through the development of
competitive and diverse
domestic food production
systems and sustainable level
of food imports built
primarily upon
mutually collaborative links
with CARICOM countries.
 Continuing to address the
challenges of Poverty and
Unemployment through the
provision of sustainable and stable
employment generating
opportunities and the
establishment of appropriate
safety nets for the most
vulnerable;
 Ensuring improved access
to basic services by Vulnerable
Groups;
 Focusing on the control of

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2 Food will facilitate the sustainable
Accessibility development of Human and
Social Capital thereby
increasing greater
accessibility to safe and
nutritious food, especially
among vulnerable groups.
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food price inflation for key items in
the average consumer
basket;
 Facilitating a better
understanding of the poverty and
food insecurity through the
implementation of improved
mechanisms for measuring and
monitoring food insecurity
and poverty indicators;
 improving the efficiency
and effectiveness of the food
marketing and distribution
system; and
 Ensuring that persons
made vulnerable and food-
insecure during emergencies
caused by natural hazards,
economic shocks and food
shortages, have access to food.
 Continuing to address the
challenges of Poverty and
Unemployment through the
provision of sustainable and stable
employment generating
opportunities and the
establishment of appropriate
safety nets for the most
vulnerable;
 Ensuring improved access
to basic services by Vulnerable
Groups;
 Focusing on the control of
food price inflation for key items
in the average consumer
basket;
 Facilitating a better
understanding of the poverty and
food insecurity through the
implementation of improved
mechanisms for measuring and
monitoring food insecurity
and poverty indicators;
 improving the efficiency
and effectiveness of the food
marketing and distribution
system; and

3 Food will improve the nutritional
utilization status and well-being of the
population through the
promotion and consumption
of safe, affordable, nutritious
quality food commodities
/products.
4 Food stability will strengthen emergency
preparedness mechanisms in
order to ensure the resilience
of the nation to natural
disasters and socio-economic
shocks, including those
associated with climate
change.
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 Ensuring that persons
made vulnerable and food-
insecure during emergencies
caused by natural hazards,
economic shocks and food
shortages, have access to food.
 Increasing consumer
awareness of nutritional standards
and food safety;
 Advocating for consumer
protection through improved food
quality and safety;
 Promoting and supporting
appropriate diets, physical activity
and other healthy lifestyle
behaviours to reduce the levels of
obesity, non-communicable
chronic diseases (NCDs);
 Improving the nutritional
status of infants and young
children;
 Improving Food and
Nutrition practices in schools by
appropriate education and
improvement to the School
Nutrition Program;
 Promoting early health
care, including nutrition
counselling service for PLHIV;
 Promoting Nutrition and
other Preventative Measures to
Control Micronutrient
Deficiencies.
 Supporting the adaptation
and mitigation strategies as a
means of enhancing the
stability of food and nutrition
security over time among the
vulnerable groups as a
result of financial and economic
shocks;
 Supporting the adaptation
and mitigation strategies that,
over time, enhance stability in
domestic food supplies and
improve household access from
threats of natural disasters
 and climate change thus
enhancing food and nutrition
security for the population; and
 Supporting the
implementation of mitigation
strategies that will facilitate the
development of production
systems and practices that are
resilient to the impact of
Climate Change, with particular
focus on the Agricultural sector.

4. Food security key programmes and projects

A number of programs/ projects planned to be implemented/ has been implemented in
support of Government of Suriname’s initiatives in strengthening the food security policy
and policy measures, inter alia, are:
i. Reverse Linkage in Rice Production- 2016 -2020
The ‘Reverse Linkage Project between Suriname and Malaysia in Rice Production’ is a 3-year
Project between the Government of Suriname (GoS) and Malaysia, funded by Islamic
Development Bank, with the overall goal to enhance the capacity of Suriname in rice
production in order to maintain self- sufficiency and increase the export of high quality rice.

This is carried out through 3 Pillars of engagements;

(i) the introduction of new area-specific rice varieties with disease and pest resistant
characteristics, together with their appropriate breeding programmes and support systems;
(ii) the strengthening of soil fertility; and
(iii) the development of an integrated water management system.

In 2019-2020 duration, four deliverables will be carried out, namely

i. to establish Certified Seed Production Facility, System & Protocol
ii. to carry out Suriname Rice Policy Study focusing on rice seed production
iii. to establish Farmers' Field School focusing on the development of rice seed farmers
iv. to establish Soil & Analytical Laboratory

ii. Reverse Linkage in Halal Ecosystem Development- 2019-2020

The development of a Halal Ecosystem (2019-2020 project duration), begins with the
introduction of Halal standardization and Halal certification, which will help Suriname
further spur the country’s economic growth, advance the country’s multilateral trade
agenda, and to achieve their missions, visions and goals stipulated in both their Policy
Development Plan, and Food & Nutrition Security Strategic Policy Framework, and to

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synchronously support the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation’s (FAO)
Country Programming Framework For Suriname (2016 – 2019).
Suriname has sought the assistance of the Islamic Development Bank to develop its own
Halal standards and certification with the help of Malaysia as the country aspires to, of
similar international recognition and acceptance vis-à-vis the Malaysian model.
iii. Suriname Agriculture Market Access Project (SAMAP) – 2017 - 2021
This project is conducted partnership with European Union, to enhance sustainable
agricultural development for inclusive growth and employment. The main impact indicator is
to increase the level of assets/income of targeted smallholders by at least 15% in real terms.
The project aims at increased, more competitive and safer production of selected crops
(particularly fruits and vegetables) through an enabling environment and enhanced
capacities of private sector and institutions.

Two main results are expected:

a) Increased horticultural production and sustainable market-access achieved for 1000 small-
scale farmers
- Component 1 of SAMAP aims at: a) working with at least 1000 small farmers (directly or
through farmer groups), of which at least 30% will be women; b) assisting 100 farmer
organizations and agri-businesses in improving their market access by achieving quality
production and, processing and improved competitive position and c) supporting at least 15
agribusinesses with obtaining a bank loan.
b) Improved food safety capacities and standards for private sector and public institutions.
- Component 2 aims at: a) setting up a food safety coordination mechanism for national
dialogue to support decision making and developing food safety standards, in accordance to
Codex Alimentarius guidance; and b) enhancing food safety laboratory operations.

iv. Suriname is also working hand-in-hand with FAO’s expertise to develop and implement
Suriname’s development priorities, which is centred on four medium-term priority areas:
a). Food and Nutrition Security: promoting healthy eating habits in schools and
communities through the preparation of Food Based Dietary Guidelines and the
dissemination of relevant information to local diet and eating patterns.

b). Food Safety, quality and certification systems: complementing actions proposed by the
project for the Modernization of Agricultural Health and Food Safety Services and the
ongoing project Support to the Forum of Caribbean States in the implementation
of the commitments undertaken under the Economic Partnership Agreement: Sanitary and
Phytosanitary Measures.

c). Value Chain development for strengthening food systems: providing assistance to small-
scale farmers and family farmers to increase production and productivity through the use of
improved technologies and approaches to selected crops and livestock along the value
chain, emphasizing on root crops, vegetables, fruits and small ruminants.

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d). Natural resource management, disaster mitigation and resilience: developing disaster
risk management plans for the agriculture sector including management programmes for
coastal areas and for trans-boundary pests and diseases and implementing emergency
management training plans and drills.

5. Conclusion

In terms of food security, Suriname has successfully – to some extent- overcoming -

challenges in providing high quality and safe food for her population. However, more need to
be done. In this regards, the food security policies, policy measures is providing the
government a framework to formulate programs and projects – as shown by the above
examples- as a way forward for Government of Suriname to achieve zero hunger policy
goals.

A food secure nation has the capacity for greater productivity and is more inclined to socially
acceptable behaviour. The attainment of the status of a Food Secure Nation is therefore
considered to be a major developmental goal of the Government of Suriname.

REFERENCES:

1. FAO (2015) Suriname Food Security Policy- The Way Forward

2. FAO (2019) LVV Project Directory
3. Suriname Agricultural Statistics 2017

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