The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations launches an app to support Indigenous pineapple farmers in Suriname

Dimitra, a global leader in agricultural technology and sustainability solutions, is supporting the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to develop a smartphone application for Indigenous farmers in Suriname. FAO is working in the country to enhance organic pineapple production by leveraging blockchain technology to modernize cultivation practices, boost productivity, and secure market access. Leveraging Dimitra’s traceable and immutable technology, through this app local growers will access advanced techniques including mechanical land preparation and artificial flower induction to produce premium organic pineapples and meet market demands.

Dimitra is deploying immutable blockchain and AI technology to support FAO providing Surinamese farmers with real-time comprehensive farming data on their crop production and supply chains from end-to-end. From creating digital farmer profiles and registration with their demographic and plot details, to tracking crop activities and managing harvests with traceability services, the platform aims to ensure that every step of the pineapple production process?from planting to harvesting?is traceable. By providing a secure record of sustainable practices through actionable data, Surinamese farmers can gain access to advanced technology to transform agricultural practices, enhance market competitiveness, and forge key alliances, opening doors to premium markets that require stringent compliance with international standards.

FAO has been working in the country since 2018 with UNIDO, ILO and UNFPA through the ASTA Suriname initiative has been driving the pineapple sector’s growth in Suriname, a focal commodity for the country’s economic growth. Backed by the Joint United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) Fund, the ASTA Suriname project has conducted in-depth analysis of farms and rolled out initial implementation activities. The project aims to empower indigenous and rural communities across Suriname’s pineapple belt to modernize organic pineapple production, transforming Suriname into a major producer and exporter of high-quality organic fresh and processed pineapples, and moving away from outdated practices with little value-addition and limited exports.