Suriname’s government has formally announced its plan to strengthen long-standing cooperative ties with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), outlining the central role of agriculture in the country’s economic growth strategy alongside its booming oil and gas sector. The announcement came during a introductory meeting between Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation Minister Melvin Bouva and newly appointed IICA representative for Suriname, Michael Dalton.
During the discussions, both parties focused on how IICA’s technical support can advance the sustainability and modernization of Suriname’s agricultural industry, a core priority for the government that aims to position the country as a regional food hub. Minister Bouva highlighted the ongoing partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries (LVV) and the Dominican Republic-based Rizek Group to expand the nation’s cocoa sector, noting that IICA’s specialized technical expertise would add significant value to this and other key strategic agricultural projects across the country.
For his part, Dalton provided a comprehensive update on the organization’s active work in Suriname. Current initiatives include two major agricultural projects funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), preparations for the Caribbean Beekeepers Congress scheduled to take place in Paramaribo from November 6 to 8, and the development of a $25 million rice program proposal to be submitted to the Green Climate Fund. IICA is also working on a national exhibition to promote local Surinamese honey, and is finalizing a new four-year medium-term work plan that includes a tailored regional strategy for Caribbean nations, designed to address the unique agricultural challenges and development priorities across the region.
Suriname and IICA first established their formal cooperation partnership in 1981. Over the past four decades, the institute has worked alongside the Ministry of LVV and other local Surinamese stakeholders to deliver dozens of projects focused on agricultural expansion, knowledge sharing, and institutional capacity building. Minister Bouva expressed public appreciation for the decades of productive collaboration, emphasizing that international partnerships are critical to advancing the country’s national development goals. He extended his well wishes to Dalton in his new role, saying he is confident that the partnership between Suriname and IICA will see significant expansion and progress in the coming years.