The Ministry of Land Policy and Forest Management and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on 25 January 2022 signed the project document for implementation of the project “Strengthening Management of Protected and Productive Landscapes in the Surinamese Amazon”.

This project is part of the regional efforts to conserve the Amazon Biome for the world funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the Amazon Sustainable Landscape 2 (ASL2) initiative.  Countries participating in the regional ASL2 programme are Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Suriname.

The total GEF funding to Suriname for implementation of the Suriname ASL2 project is 5,165,138 USD and will be implemented from 2022 until 2027.

The overall objective of the Suriname ASL2 project is securing equitable management of Suriname’s protected and productive landscapes through integrated approaches that deliver mutually supportive conservation and sustainable livelihood benefits. Specific objectives are improved sustainable forestry practices, Jaguar conservation, strengthening Protected Areas management, promoting sustainable livelihoods through agroforestry systems, nature tourism and non-timber forest products (NTFP), improving land use planning and monitoring.

As stated by H.E. Ms. Dinotha Vorswijk, Minister of Land Policy and Forest Management: “The Suriname ASL 2 will support Suriname to implement national objectives that ensures we cherish our nature understanding that conservation does not mean we cannot use nature, rather it is the basis for Equitable sharing of the benefits that we derive from nature and need to maintain for humankind well-being”.

Mr. Jairo Valverde Bermudez, UNDP Resident Representative stated that “The Amazon Sustainable Landscape Project will utilise the National Implementation Modality (NIM) with the Ministry of Land Policy and Forest Management as the National Implementing Partner. The National Implementation Modality is an integral part of UNDP’s policy to build national capacity and ownership for project implementation and for the long term sustainability of project results and benefits”.

The project will contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 13 on Climate Action and SDG 15 on Life on Land. The project is also aligned with SDG 5 on Gender Equality and SDG 17 on Partnerships for realization of the SDG Goals. The Suriname Amazon Sustainable Landscape Project is aligned with, and supports, the realization of the Nationally Determined Contributions of Suriname to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and is aligned to UNDP Suriname’s Country Programme Document for the new five-year cycle from 2022 – 2026.