http://www.fao.org/globalsoilpartnership This presentation was made during the Central America Caribbean and Mexico Soil Partnership Workshop which took place in La Habana, Cuba 1-2 June 2015. The presentation was made by Ing. Kwesi Goddard, and it has the objective to present the Priorities towards sustainable soil management in Suriname. ©FAO: http://www.fao.org

1. WORKSHOP of the Regional Partnership for Central
America, Mexico and The Carribbean: towards a regional
implementation plan on sustainable soil management
Priorities towards sustainable soil management:
Challenges, Opportunities, Priorities, National Policies and Institutional
Mechanisms
Country: SURINAME
By: Ruby Kromokardi
1-2 June 2015, La Habana, Cuba
Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi

2. Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi Lcs.
Suriname
Soil Map

3. • Land area 164,000 km2
• Coastal area (± 368 km long) consists of young
clay sediments and sands.
• In the center the Guiana plateau ( Guiana
shields composed of Precambrian rocks)
• Significant Height of the Guiana plateau
12,00 m
Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi Lcs.
Suriname
Physical – geographical conditions

4. • Tropical, influenced by up and down
movement of the Inter Tropical Convergence
Zone (ITCZ)
• Two rainy and two dry seasons
• Mean annual air temperature ± 27 °C ranging
from 26 °C in January up 31°C in October
• Average annual rainfall in coastal area 2,200
mm
Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi Lcs.
Suriname
Climate

5. Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi Lcs.
Suriname
4 major physiographic regions

6. Major challenges of soil resources
Biophysical
Types of challenges and the area affected
Regarding the nature conservation in the Interior (1)
which covers more than 14 % of the country’s surface
with a wide range of ecosystems, from tropical forest to
coastal formations:
– Strong tradition of nature conservation
– Protection of biodiversity
– Preservation of primary tropical forest
Regarding the Coastal Zone (3+4):
– Sustainable Agriculture
– Sustainable Soil Management
– Protection of the Coastal Zone against the impact of sea level
rise
Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi Lcs.

7. Major challenges of soil resources
Policy and Institutions
Analysis of major issues and suggested / implemented solutions
• In the Interior (1) different activities are taking place:
– Mining: Awareness regarding sustainable and eco-
friendly mining activities and rehabilitation of the
exhausted mine areas by planting trees
– Timber logging:
Agro forestry techniques are implemented in the interior
to maintain stability of the agricultural system(shifting
cultivation system). These techniques can serve as a tool to
improve soil fertility and thereby increase the production.
– Shifting cultivation:
Training in sustainable agriculture
Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi Lcs.

8. • In the Coastal Zone (3+4):
– Land degradation due to agricultural practices:
- Training programs in:
• Organic Farming / composting
• Safe use of pesticides / use of bio-pesticides
• Integrated Crop Management / Integrated Pest Management
– Impact of the sea level rise (salinisation of soils):
- Management of Mangrove and Parwa trees which is
the natural protection of the Coastal Zone
- infrastructural projects: building seawall
constructions in important areas
Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi Lcs.
Major challenges of soil resources
Policy and Institutions
Analysis of major issues and suggested / implemented solutions

9. • Institutions:
– Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and
Fisheries
– Ministry of Natural Recourses
– Ministry of Public Works
– NIMOS – National Institute for Development and
Environment in Suriname
– Anton de Kom University of Suriname
– CELOS – Centre for Agricultural Research in
Suriname
Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi Lcs.
Major challenges of soil resources
Policy and Institutions
Analysis of major issues and suggested / implemented solutions

10. Opportunities towards sustainable
soil management
– Data available
– Cooperation between the different institutions
– Law on Environmental Management
– Training on issues regarding Soil Management
Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi Lcs.

11. Priorities for sustainable soil
management
• Short and medium term activities
– Setting up a land use and administration system
– Public awareness activities regarding sustainable
soil management
Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi Lcs.

12. • Long-term activities
– Efforts made by the Surinamese Government:
• Establishing a number of nature reserves with the
purpose to enhance the protected area system.
• Being part of Environmental Conventions Suriname can
participate in different activities regarding Soil
Management
Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi Lcs.
Priorities for sustainable soil
management

13. Sea-defense at Nikerie
Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi Lcs.
Strong erosion at the cornonie-Nickerie coast
Flooded Weg naar Zee area due to high seawater level

14. Concluding remarks
• Summary of main challenges
– Management and maintenance of nature reserves in
the Interior
– Soil Management in the Coastal Zone
• Suggestions to achieve sustainable soil
management
– Technical and scientific cooperation on regional level
– Access to and transfer of technology in order to reach
sustainable development in Soil Management
Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi Lcs.

15. Thank You
Country: Suriname / By: Ruby Kromokardi
Lcs.