Global Capitalism and Grassroots Organizations in Surinam: Changing the System from within

Abstract

"The negative influences of international trade agreements on consumers and producers, the state acting as a broker for international companies, the lack of food safety, security, and sovereignty, are all negative consequences of global capitalism experienced by consumers and producers in Surinam. These consequences all raise doubt on whether opening a national market to global capitalism is truly inevitable for development. In Surinam, opening up the national market to global capitalism without providing the needed facilities has weakened the position of local consumers and producers. Additionally, it has led to an underdevelopment of sectors, like the agriculture, processing, and food safety and quality testing, which are regarded to be essential for all actors within a food system in order to benefit from global capitalism. The role of the state is crucial in this matter; it depends on the state, acting as a broker for international commitments or as a guardian of the wellbeing of the people, to which extent global capitalism can influence the national market. In the case of Surinam, the government seems to be more committed to their role as broker, which increases the need for independent grassroots organizations to act as a guardian for the position of local consumers and producers.

The grassroots organizations show that food sovereignty in Surinam is about active citizenship, cooperation and community, and democracy. Despite the negative influences of global capitalism, the grassroots organizations work within this system to improve the position of consumers and producers, as global capitalism is perceived to be inevitable. And, as Surinam is unlikely to be the only country with the state acting more as a broker than a guardian, the role of grassroots organizations in food systems might be crucial to protect the position of consumers and producers worldwide."