Press Release

President Santokhi Endorses ASTA Pineapple Project as Model for Sustainable Rural Development in Suriname Matta, Suriname

27 May 2025

In a strong endorsement of Suriname’s push toward sustainable and inclusive agricultural transformation, President Chandrikapersad Santokhi visited the ASTA project’s trial site in Matta on April 29, 2025. The visit marked a pivotal moment in the evaluation of the proposed Horticulture Innovation Hub, a core component of the ASTA project that aims to revolutionize pineapple cultivation in Suriname through community-driven innovation and market-based development, positioning the country to become a reliable exporter of high-quality fresh and processed pineapples and strengthening its access to regional and international markets. The Project is also directly implemented in Moengo, located in the Marowijne district, and other rural areas of Suriname. The ASTA project, which is funded by the Joint SDG Fund, is a collaborative initiative led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Foreign Affairs, International Business, and International Cooperation (BIBIS) and Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Republic Suriname (LVV). It is implemented jointly by UN agencies including FAO, UNIDO, ILO and UNFPA.

A Collaborative Vision for the Future of Pineapple Cultivation

The President was welcomed by the ASTA and the Horticulture Innovation Hub’s team as well as the Basja Cyrell Sabajo, local leader and trial farmer, and attended an official ceremony alongside key stakeholders. The Horticulture Innovation Hub’s Director Mr. Swami Girdhari presented the project’s objectives and progress, followed by remarks from Ms. Maitrie Jagroep, Chair of the Hub Board; Ms. Elizabeth Bradley, Director of BIBIS; and Minister of Agriculture Mr. Parmanand Sewdien.

In his keynote address, President Santokhi praised the project’s integrated approach, which unites local communities, government institutions, and international partners in a common mission.

“With this project, you can earn more. Your village and children will progress,” he stated, underscoring the initiative’s potential to drive income generation, food security, and rural opportunity.

The visit included a guided tour of the trial field, where the ASTA and the Horticulture Innovation Hub’s Agronomist Ms. Hemwatie Goeptar explained the project's key innovations: a new agronomic model, results from the AFI (Artificial Flower Induction) trials, and the bio-factory model for organic input production. These tools form the backbone of a sustainable production system tailored to the Surinamese context, offering farmers a low-cost, climate-resilient model for high-quality pineapple cultivation.

Minister Sewdien reinforced the urgency of developing crops such as pineapple which are affordable, climate-smart, and scalable, noting the project's alignment with national food security goals and rural development strategies.

A Project Already Delivering Results

The Presidential visit also highlighted the tangible outcomes already emerging from ASTA’s early implementation. After the formal proceedings, stakeholders had the opportunity to observe the field model in action and interact with local farmers. Trial farmer Mr. Cyrell Sabajo sold his organically grown AFI pineapples during the event, sparking interest from a diverse range of visitors — including representatives from Indigenous communities, input suppliers, hospitality buyers, and agri-processors.

Their engagement showcased the project’s commercial potential and its role in connecting smallholder producers to higher-value markets, while remaining rooted in local leadership and traditional knowledge.

High-Level Attention Underscores Strategic Importance

This visit follows a recent high-level field mission on March 21, 2025, by UN Resident Coordinator Joanna Kazana and Ambassador Cristina Pérez of Spain, the latter representing the largest donor to the Joint SDG Fund. Their joint visit to Matta reinforced the global relevance of the project and Spain’s interest in further supporting its expansion. Both visits reflect the growing recognition of ASTA not only as a local innovation, but also as a replicable model for inclusive, climate-resilient agriculture in the region.

About the ASTA Pineapple Project

The Agrifood Systems Transformation Accelerator, a global joint initiative of FAO and UNIDO, is implementing the ASTA Pineapple Project in Suriname, together with ILO and UNFPA, as multi-stakeholder initiative co-funded by the Joint SDG Fund and implemented in close collaboration with Indigenous communities, governmental authorities, private actors, and technical experts. It focuses on creating sustainable supply chains through improved agronomic practices, farmer-owned input and marketing systems, enhanced value addition through processing and product diversification, and a dedicated Horticulture Innovation Hub to coordinate services and amplify scale beyond the project’s scope. By supporting traditional farmers to innovate without losing their cultural and ecological roots, ASTA is paving the way for a new generation of agricultural development in Suriname — one that is equitable, resilient, and community-led.