Picture 1: Field Visit to an Indigenous Village in Oiapoque

If no remedy exists for a pest affecting your plantation, seeking assistance from your indigenous brothers and sisters is a logical step. From 2 to 9 July, a delegation from VIDS (Association of Indigenous Village Leaders in Suriname) undertook a journey overland, via French Guiana, to the border town of Oiapoque on the Brazilian side. The purpose of this eight-day visit was to learn more about the cassava witches' broom disease, which has now been devastating crops for five years and which first emerged in Brazil in Oiapoque. 

The initiative dates back to November of last year, when a group comprising nearly the same individuals travelled along the same route to Macapá and Belém to participate in COP30, the World Climate Conference, in Belém. During a brief stopover in Oiapoque at that time, they visited the Kuahí Indigenous Museum in the town centre. 

The exhibition on the cassava witches' broom disease, which originated in Oiapoque, not only provided an overview of the situation but also highlighted the fact that, in the absence of results from the government, the indigenous communities had taken up their own research. This prompted VIDS to return in order to acquire more in-depth knowledge on the subject. 

Picture 2: At an exhibition in the Kuahí Indigenous Museum, the names of various cassava varieties are displayed

Iepé 

The delegation's counterpart in Oiapoque, to which they owed a great deal, was Iepé, a non-governmental, non-profit Institute for Indigenous Research and Training. Iepé facilitated access to the villages, the indigenous women's organisation, and government institutions. The Kuahí Museum, which reopened in July of last year after having been closed for twelve years, was also reopened largely through the efforts of Iepé. Oiapoque Program.  

Villages, Associations, and Government 

Picture 3: View of the village of Kurupi, with a three-part granite mountain in the background

The programme included, among other activities, visits to three indigenous villages located along the BR-156 highway, namely Ahuma, Kurupi, and Kuahí. On day one, the delegation examined the model of Yasei, the first fully indigenous-run and managed agro-production enterprise. 

Naturally, a visit was also paid to Iepé, where the delegation was deeply impressed by their activities and, in particular, by the manner in which all information was documented and made available to the public. The openness with which we were received by the Brazilian indigenous peoples was evident not only in their villages but also during a workshop organised by Iepé. 

AMIM, the Association of Indigenous Women in Mutirão (joint effort), provided an outline of the impact on the social and cultural life within the community. On the government side, RURAP presented its account, and a surprise was the presence of EMBRAPA—comparable to CELOS in Brazil—on the final day. Logistical and translation support was received from PROCRI/UNIFAP (Pro-Rectory of Cooperation and Inter-institutional Relations at the Federal University of Amapá). Each visit will be separately highlighted on the UNDP Suriname website and social media channels. 

Suriname 

Since last year, various Surinamese media channels have already reported on Cassava Witches' Broom Disease (CWBD), which is now present in nearly all districts. A brochure on this rapidly spreading disease is also already available, which states that no cure currently exists for Ceratobasidium theobromae, the scientific name for the disease. The VIDS delegation comprised planters, youth, and village leaders, and was accompanied by a programme officer from UNDP and a reporter. This knowledge-exchange mission was made possible by the UNDP project "Women-Led Indigenous Action Against Cassava Witches' Broom Disease," with funding from the High Commission Fund of the Government of New Zealand. The project aims to strengthen the capacity of Indigenous communities in Suriname, particularly Indigenous women farmers, to detect, prevent, and manage CWBD through practical, community-based actions. In a series of short reports, the activities carried out during the knowledge-exchange mission will be highlighted.