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Agri-tech leader Dimitra is working together with FAO to maintain indigenous farming in Suriname by designing an application on a smartphone meant to improve organic pineapple farming. It will, on the basis of Dimitra’s blockchain technology, assist with modernisation for practices, productivity, and new markets for local growers.
Through Dimitra’s blockchain and AI, the app will provide real-time data on crop production and supply chains for traceability from planting to harvest. This data will help Surinamese farmers achieve premium market standards with a system built around competitiveness and sustainability.
Since 2018, FAO, along with the UN agencies, has initiated the ASTA Suriname project for restoring the pineapple sector while enhancing the economy of the country. This UNSDG Fund-supported project is concentrated on offering support to indigenous as well as rural communities toward high organic pineapple production and farm upgrading.
The app is one of the projects that will be funded by FAO’s 2024 Elevate Grant Programme. It launches in December and will assist Surinamese farmers through the most important techniques such as ground preparation and artificial flower induction, empowering local growers to increase productivity while meeting international standards.
The head of Dimitra, Jon Trask, highlighted the potential for this app to enhance sustainability and at the same time provide a clear origin story for food, thus contributing to Dimitra’s mission in the cause of supporting smallholder farmers and increasing resilience throughout the agrifood system.
The app will be in support of the ASTA Suriname initiative, whereby it brings sustainable agriculture tools to indigenous communities and links them to international markets for the achievement of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to Margherita Bavagnoli from FAO, this app would support 120 indigenous women and youth with access to critical market information and agronomic resources as shown in their improved livelihoods and forest conservation in Suriname.
