Communities Transforming Food Systems for Better Nutrition in Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, transforming agri-food systems has evolved from a theoretical concept to a concrete reality. In cantons such as Buenos Aires and Guatuso, this transformation demonstrates how integrated, nutrition-sensitive agri-food systems can improve diets, strengthen local economies and advance the human right to adequate, affordable and accessible food for all.

Buenos Aires and Guatuso are territories rich in agricultural potential and cultural heritage, with strong indigenous and rural traditions closely tied to the land. At the same time, they face persistent barriers, including greater social and economic disparities and malnutrition. According to the Ministry of Health, in 2020, food insecurity affected 11.76 per cent of households in Buenos Aires and 22.65 per cent in Guatuso, with levels in Guatuso exceeding the national average of 16.42 per cent. Addressing these challenges calls for coordinated action that links nutrition with sustainable food production, local governance, climate action and community leadership.

Community Collaboration for Concrete Change

This is the thinking behind the national joint initiative “Empowering Communities in Sustainable Agri-food Systems,” supported by the Joint SDG Fund, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in 2025, with support from the Resident Coordinator’s Office and the active participation of local governments, as well as the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and the Ministry of Health. 

The initiative is further reinforced by the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, building on SUN’s role in country-led coordination to align nutrition priorities across sectors. Working across these two municipalities, the programme has engaged approximately 180 people through training processes and has reached an estimated 250 people through awareness-raising activities. It aims to strengthen agri-food system governance, promote sustainable production practices and improve the eating habits of the participants, contributing to improved well-being across the community.

From the outset, the initiative has been built with communities and in close collaboration with local governments and institutions. Drawing on local knowledge, cultural practices and territorial priorities, women, children, youth and indigenous peoples have played a central role in shaping solutions.

Through targeted capacity strengthening, families and smallholder farmers have improved both productive practices and dietary habits, reinforcing local food supply chains and encouraging the consumption of nutritious, locally produced foods. This has had a dual effect: improving nutrition outcomes while also stimulating cantonal economies and strengthening resilience.

The programme has also demonstrated the importance of multi-stakeholder and multisectoral partnerships, which lie at the heart of the SUN Movement. Ministries responsible for agriculture and health, local governments, schools, community organizations and development partners have worked together to better understand local dynamics and co-design practical solutions. This collaborative governance has been essential to ensuring that interventions respond to real needs and can be sustained beyond the life of the project. 

Within this ecosystem, the SUN Movement has convened partners to strengthen technical capacity, and to support the alignment of nutrition objectives across sectors and policies. In 2024, SUN brought together national and local stakeholders through a multi-day workshop on agri-food systems transformation, working with partners including UNICEF, FAO and EU4SUN. The workshop built technical capacity across multiple ministries and institutions to design and implement nutrition-sensitive, environmentally sustainable food strategies, with a particular focus on integrating nutrition into climate action. As a direct outcome, participants identified concrete actions to promote healthy diets and more resilient local food systems, while also exploring opportunities to leverage climate finance. 

A Locally-Led Future

Today, this joint programme has evolved into a new phase of continued technical support in both cantons. In each territory, a study was carried out to better understand how fresh produce markets function, supporting local authorities to make informed decisions and strengthen their public policies.

Moreover, continued support has contributed to the development of territorial and local health policies that prioritise agri-food systems and healthy nutrition. Despite funding constraints, coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Ministry of Health and municipal governments has helped ensure that follow-up actions are integrated into their regular plans and budgets, strengthening their potential for nationwide scale-up.

By doing so, the initiative supports territories in shaping their own development and promoting healthy nutrition, contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 2 on Zero Hunger. 

Note:

All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.

This story was originally published by the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement. Please visit the UN team's website for more information about the UN's work in Costa Rica.