Suriname environmental groups warn of deforestation risks

Surinamese environmental organizations and scientific experts are organizing an information session on October 20 to address the potential impacts of large-scale deforestation. The session will specifically focus on agricultural and livestock projects currently being developed by Braganza Marketing Group N. V.

Experts will present data regarding the ecological, social, and economic consequences of these developments, while also discussing sustainable agricultural alternatives. Data from the MapBiomas Suriname platform indicates that forest cover decreased by more than 166,000 hectares between 1985 and 2025. Additionally, mining areas expanded by over 850 percent during that same period, identifying mining as a primary driver of land-use change.

While Suriname maintains a high forest cover of approximately 92.54 percent as of 2023, officials note that structural deforestation remains a concern, with an average of 10,000 hectares lost annually between 2018 and 2023.