In Donderskamp, an Indigenous village along the Wayambo River in western Suriname, Cynthia grows cassava on her own land and turns it into bread using knowledge passed down through generations. The 44-year-old Kaliña woman peels, grates and presses the cassava before baking it over firewood. “We live free here,” she says. “We plant, we fish, we help each other.”
Cassava bread carries the history and identity of Cynthia’s community, yet producing and selling it is not easy. Unpredictable weather, wild boars and carrier ants threaten crops, while flooding can destroy cassava within hours. The village boat travels to Boskamp, the nearest urban centre, only once a month, limiting access to markets and supplies.
Electricity is available for only a few hours a day. Without refrigeration, fresh food can spoil before families can eat or sell it, taking potential income with it.
“With electricity, we could store casripo, preserve meat and fish, keep juice fresh, sew clothes and expand our sales,” Cynthia says, referring to a traditional cassava-based condiment.
Her experience reflects a wider divide. More than 90 per cent of households in Suriname’s urban areas have reliable electricity, compared with fewer than 30 per cent of households in remote inland areas. Around 127 Indigenous and tribal villages have limited access, with many relying on small diesel generators that provide power intermittently and at high cost.
Preparing community energy plans for investment
The Just Energy Transition Joint Programme was created to lay the groundwork for expanding access to reliable, affordable energy in Suriname’s remote inland communities. Supported by the Joint SDG Fund, it brings the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and World Food Programme (WFP) together with the Government of Suriname and representatives of Indigenous and tribal peoples.
The programme began by building a clearer picture of what communities need. In June 2025, WFP examined how households use energy and how unreliable electricity affects food security and livelihoods. UNDP complemented this work by assessing possible energy solutions and leading efforts to turn them into proposals that could attract investment.
This first phase focuses on the groundwork needed before renewable energy systems can be installed. Using the information gathered from communities, the programme aims to design suitable solutions such as solar mini-grids, develop financing options, engage potential investors and identify the policy changes and local skills needed to keep the systems working over time.
The programme was designed with the energy needs of around 19,000 people in mind and supports Suriname’s goal of maintaining a renewable energy share of at least 35 per cent by 2030. Indigenous village leaders and representatives of Suriname’s six tribal peoples were included in the process so that future investments reflect community priorities.
Reliable energy could help Cynthia preserve more food, expand her sales and build a stronger livelihood from the cassava traditions she already carries forward.
Originally published by the United Nations in the Caribbean.
Note
All Joint SDG Fund programmes are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. The Joint SDG Fund gratefully acknowledges contributions from the European Union and the Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the Arab Gulf Programme for Development.
