CELOS

CENTER FOR AGRICULTRUAL RESEARCH IN SURINAME

CELOS and Suriname

The Centre for Agricultural Research in Suriname, CELOS, was founded in 1967 as part of Wageningen University (WUR), The Netherlands. CELOS, now allocated within the Anton de Kom University of Suriname (AdeKUS), is known worldwide for the CELOS Management System, CMS, and its contributions to sustainable forest management.

The CMS is the oldest running experiment of its kind,allowing for the study of harvest of tropical rainforest and silvicultural practices with the aim to cause minimal disturbance to the ecosystem while also increasing economic revenue. Initially, the system was developed in the 1970s for Suriname in collaboration with WUR, but it has gained international recognition over the years.

CELOS’ mission is to provide leading multidisciplinary research, education and services in the agricultural and forestry sector for the development of Suriname. In order to achieve this goal the research institute works closely with stakeholders within the forestry and agricultural sectors and within the government of Suriname.

The government of Suriname recognizes, the value of Suriname’s tropical rainforest and that given the country’s status as one of the most forested tropical countries in the world, this is a vast resource.

Sustainable development of this resource is necessary in order for it to play a lasting role in the much needed diversification of an economy that once relied heavily on the aluminum industry. As such, this project has garnered huge support from the government and has been incorporated into the development plan for Suriname for 2017-2021.