SEED FUNDING JOINT PROGRAMMES

Costa Rica

Empowering Communities: Empowering families and communities through local food system transformation in Costa Rican municipalities

SDG 2 Zero Hunger LogoSDG 5 Gender EqualitySDG 12 Responsible Consumption and ProductionSDG 13 Climate Action

PROJECT TITLE

Empowering Communities: Empowering families and communities through local food system transformation in Costa Rican municipalities

ContextIn Costa Rica, the National Pathway identifies six main priorities for the transition towards sustainable food systems, putting a strong emphasis on strengthening multi-level governance, diverse partnerships and fostering locally driven initiatives for resilience and sustainability. Local markets, supported by sustainable local production and distribution, are emphasized as crucial solutions to ensure the availability of nutritious food, while supporting local livelihoods and reducing negative impacts on the environment.
PUNOsFAO, UNICEF
Contribution to SDGsSDG 2 Zero Hunger, SDG 5 Gender Equality, SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13 Climate Action
Contribution to other SDG transitionsDigital Transformation; Climate, biodiversity, Pollution
DurationJune 2024 – June 2025
Expected financial leverage$ 570,000
Alignment with SG Call to ActionPolicy integration; Food systems governance; Research, data, technology and innovation; Inclusive and participatory design; Private sector engagement
OutcomesIn line with the priorities of the National Pathway, the JP supports sustainable and resilient food production, distribution, and consumption in selected municipalities to promote climate resilience while bolstering the local economy and delivering public health dividends. The JP puts a strong focus on promoting inclusive and participatory local governance systems.
Partners

Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) will be the main government counterpart and will coordinate the government activities in conjunction with other key Ministries, including:

  • Municipalities of Guatuso and Talamanca
  • Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
  • Ministry of Health
  • Institute for Municipal Development and Advice
  • Ministry of Environment and Energy
  • Women´s rights organizations
Outputs
  • Strengthen food systems governance at local level (in two selected municipalities), through the development of local governance strategies, training of local government officials, and the setup of multi-stakeholder governance mechanisms bringing together local agri-food system stakeholders, civil society and private sector, ensuring the participation of women and marginalized groups.
  • Mainstream environmental sustainability considerations into local governance strategies.
  • Raise awareness on sustainable consumption practices through a digital platform with information on local farmers' markets, traditional recipes, and recommendations to reduce food loss and waste, in accordance with Costa Rica’s food based dietary guidelines.
  • Promote behavior change for healthy diets at household level, with a focus on children.
Local food systems governance Behaviour change Healthy diets Local markets Food loss and waste