The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (LVV) handed over a digital sensor package, consisting of hydroponic measuring instruments, to the Green Grow Garden Cooperative on Thursday, April 17, 2025. The handover took place from Minister Parmanand Sewdien, as part of the Suriname Agriculture Market Access Project (SAMAP), from which Green Grow Garden has previously received plant greenhouses.
Radjen Bissesar, President of the Green Grow Garden Cooperative, a youth and women-led organization, said that this new technology will allow them to significantly improve cultivation processes. “With these digital sensors, we can measure temperature, humidity and other key parameters in real time. This will allow us to use fertilizers more efficiently and make more informed decisions. We look forward to implementing this technology in our operations,” Bissesar said.
The digital sensor package automatically records data on various cultivation parameters such as acidity, light intensity, temperature, humidity and fertiliser content. This data is then linked to the growers’ mobile phones, allowing them to monitor remotely via an internet connection and intervene if necessary. This innovative technology makes it possible to manage the cultivation in the greenhouse remotely.
Minister Sewdien emphasized the importance of this development for Suriname and the Ministry of LVV, which is taking the lead in promoting greenhouse cultivation with sensor use. “New technologies like these are essential for improving the agricultural sector and making entrepreneurship in agriculture increasingly attractive,” the minister said.
Greenhouse production offers significant advantages, despite the high initial investment costs. It enables producers to produce year-round, achieve stable prices and minimize the influence of weather conditions. In addition, it promotes a more controlled use of pesticides, which not only saves costs but also prevents negative environmental effects such as pollution and exceeding pesticide residues. Expanding the area of protected agriculture is therefore of great importance for both producers and consumers.
Minister Sewdien concluded: “This is the direction we need to go. If you want to meet quality standards, you need to invest in technology. SAMAP has laid the foundation, and now it is up to farmers to be enterprising and take initiatives to grow further.”
This step marks an important milestone in the advancement of the Surinamese agricultural sector and the use of modern technologies to improve sustainability and efficiency.
Original article from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Suriname