d'ONS Foundation fosters a sustainable future for Suriname

Suriname was a Dutch colony from 1667 to 1954, after which it became an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, gaining full independence in 1975. Since then, ties have largely been severed. "When the Netherlands withdrew after the colonial period, none of the knowledge was transferred," says Rob Baan, CEO of Koppert Cress and chairman of the d'ONS Foundation. "It was like someone turned off the lights and said, 'Figure it out. Suriname's potential is huge, also in the fresh produce sector, but nobody seems to be picking up the gauntlet. We want to change that."

"All sorts of things were happening in Suriname in the early 2000s that concerned us," adds Hendrik Comvalius, director of the Sustainable Development Foundation Netherlands Suriname. "A lot of mercury was being used in gold mining, there was uncontrolled logging, and climate change was beginning to show through prolonged periods of warmer and wetter weather." In that context, a group of concerned Dutch citizens, some of Surinamese origin, founded the foundation. The name was significant: sustainable development, with a connection between the Netherlands and Suriname.

From food to public health
In 2007, the foundation commissioned a report identifying agriculture, forestry, tourism, water, and energy as crucial sectors for sustainable development. The report was submitted to the Surinamese government, which pledged its support for the initiative. When Rob assumed the presidency in 2019, he brought a clear focus: nutrition and health. "At Stichting Voeding Leeft, where I was previously a director, research showed that among the Surinamese community in the Netherlands, non-hereditary but consumption-related type 2 diabetes is extremely prevalent. Then I thought: it must be even worse in Suriname itself. And that's right: it has the highest rate of type 2 diabetes in South America.

"Many people eat unhealthily there. Vegetables are unaffordable, and what is imported, from California or the Netherlands, is often expensive and of poor quality."

© St DonsAt the event on 16 October 2025 at the Mensa Suriname

Culturally connected
d'ONS is not a traditional aid organisation. "The request for help must always come from Suriname," Hendrik stresses. "We don't want to impose solutions from the Netherlands but work together based on equality." What bothers Rob most is the lack of structural cooperation between the Netherlands and Suriname. "With Suriname, pride and old sorrows play a role. With the Netherlands, I suspect, disinterest. And so little happens. We are culturally connected at heart: everyone in the Netherlands knows a Surinamese. But politically, the relationship is broken."

Education as a foundation
A key focus of d'ONS is knowledge transfer. "We saw early on that young people are the key to change," says Hendrik. This led to an exchange programme between educational institutions in the Netherlands and Suriname. Students at the college level have been studying at Aeres Hogeschool in Dronten for the past four years. The first student recently graduated and now works as an advisor at the Surinamese Ministry of Agriculture and the International Development Bank.

In addition, around 30 MBO students from the Suriname Institute of Nature Technology are linked to Lentiz MBO in Westland every year. "Preferably young people from farming families," says Rob, "so they can later make a difference in their own environment. It is important that these young people go back with a network. They need to know who they can call when they start growing their own crops later."

Young people and entrepreneurship
Besides education, d'ONS is committed to entrepreneurship. During the annual "Agriculture Week in Suriname", young people are actively involved in the sector. On 16 October, the foundation organised a congress with the theme "Young people and entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector". Banks, insurance companies, seed companies, and the Chamber of Commerce gave presentations, and even young people as young as 14 were challenged to write a business plan for their own farming business. "In cooperation with Dutch seed companies like Enza, Bejo, East-West Seeds, and Rijk Zwaan, d'ONS even developed a seed guide for Suriname," says Hendrik.

A greenhouse as a classroom
A telling example of how d'ONS connects theory and practice is the glass greenhouse in Lelydorp. Originally built at the Floriade in Almere as part of the Suriname Pavilion, the greenhouse was given a second life in Suriname. It was donated to the Mariahoeve children's home in 2023, with support from service club Kiwanis and Koppert Cress. Prior to construction, extensive research was carried out into soil conditions, cultivation techniques, and suitable crops.

The greenhouse has now been set up as an educational centre. "It's a real testing ground," explains Hendrik. "Children learn how to grow fruit and vegetables, but students and local growers also gain knowledge there." The foundation funds a project leader and teaching staff for the first two years. After that, the administrators of Mariahoeve will take over.

"Moreover, in Suriname, it rains so hard that you cannot propagate healthy young plants without protection," adds Rob, who therefore advocates greater reuse of old Dutch greenhouses in Suriname. "If you start with virus-free young plants, you are already 1-0 ahead."

On 15 October, the greenhouse was officially opened. A year later, Rob returned to Suriname to give a workshop demonstrating the possibilities of greenhouse cultivation. "We want to show that modern horticulture also works in tropical conditions," he says.

The forgotten fertile soil and water in abundance
Besides the greenhouse, Rob is working on a plan to revive an old plantation. "The fertile lands along the rivers have been overgrown by jungle since the beginning of the last century, but there is huge potential there," he says. Only restoring it is costly. "The overgrowth has to go, the canals re-dug. And funding is a stumbling block."

Still, Rob sees opportunities, especially in growing crops that need a lot of water. "In Suriname, fresh water is not a cost but almost a waste. Every day, a sea of fresh water flows away unused. Avocados would grow perfectly there."

Suriname also excels in terms of diversity. "Because of the mix of ethnic groups, from Javanese to Hindus, Chinese, Africans, and Dutch, the range of vegetables is unparalleled. Everything is eaten, and therefore everything is grown. Only small-scale and not structured."

Export dreams? The region first
Suriname itself is a small market with 600,000 people. But neighbouring countries, French Guiana and British Guiana, offer serious market opportunities. "Those countries are growing economically; like Suriname, they have oil and gas and are looking for fresh produce. The question is: will they continue to import from America, or will we build our own sustainable chain here?" Rob wonders.

Exporting to Europe or North America is still a bridge too far for many Surinamese growers. Certifications such as GlobalGAP are costly, and the logistics infrastructure remains limited. "For now, we have to focus on the Caribbean," says Hendrik. "There is a lot of demand there for Surinamese vegetables. Which, by the way, are also simply the tastiest in the world!"

© St DonsWith students in the photo, for the theme "young people and entrepreneurship in agriculture." Fantastic young people, eager to become entrepreneurs. All companies in the field of entrepreneurship were present to provide the young people with all the information.

The message is clear: there is more future for Surinamese youth than just in oil, gas, and gold. "Horticulture has huge potential," says Hendrik. "But we have to invest in knowledge, infrastructure, and market access." The Netherlands knows; Suriname has the potential. By bringing the two together, d'ONS is building step by step a greener, fairer, and more resilient Suriname.

For more information:
St. d'ONS (Stichting duurzame Ontwikkeling Nederland Suriname)
Lambertus Hortensiuslaan 66
1412 GX Naarden
Tel: +31 (0)35 695 3405
Hendrik Comvalius (director)
[email protected]
Rob Baan (chairman)
[email protected]
www.stdons.nl