Suriname cancels controversial Mennonite pilot program, but bigger problems loom

Terra Invest meeting with Mennonites. Photo courtesy by Terra Invest via Facebook

Last year, Mongabay published documents detailing the government’s larger plan to develop around 467,000 hectares (1,153,982 acres) of land for agricultural activity, mostly by transferring it to the control of the Ministry of Agriculture. Nearly the entire area is primary forest, according to the documents.

The Mennonite pilot program appears to overlap with the area, suggesting that it was one part of a larger plan to develop agriculture with private entities.

Some conservation groups said stopping the pilot program is a small win but shouldn’t distract from the fact that the government has shown no sign of ending that larger plan, and has declined to comment publicly about its progress.

“People’s takeaway is that the Mennonites are the problem,” said John Goedschalk, former executive director of Conservation International-Suriname. “But the Mennonites are just a symptom of the problem. The real problem is the careless management of our forests and the lack of land rights for Indigenous and tribal communities.”

Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk said last week that Suriname should look to Brazil as an example for developing the national economy, since Brazil has “corn for miles.” One idea that’s been discussed is turning Suriname into a breadbasket for the Caribbean.

Analysis of satellite imagery by Monitoring of the Amazon Project (MAAP), using the maps and documents published by Mongabay, found that development could rise to 560,000 hectares (1,383,790 acres) in order to meet those needs.

Last month, local communities filed an injunction against the plans, saying they were carried out dishonestly and could cause “enormous damage to the environment.” Indigenous and Maroon communities live within the planned area but haven’t been granted ancestral rights to their territory.

Goedschalk also filed a petition with the government demanding answers about its plans for future agriculture projects. He’s worked hard to explain the situation to the general public through appearances on podcasts and interviews with local media outlets.

“There’s definitely no clarity that they’ve given up,” Goedschalk said of the government. “And let me be very clear: I’m not going to give up, either.

Banner image: An unfinished road through the rainforest in Suriname. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.

See related from this reporter:

Outcry over deforestation as Suriname’s agriculture plans come to light

Watch a report about the impact of Mennonite colonies in Peru:

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Agriculture, Conservation, Deforestation, Environment, Environmental Law, Environmental Politics, Forests, Governance, Rainforests, Tropical Forests

Latin America, South America, Suriname

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Source link : https://news.mongabay.com/2024/03/suriname-cancels-controversial-mennonite-pilot-program-but-bigger-problems-loom/

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Publish date : 2024-03-20 03:00:00

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