CATIE, CIRAD and the Embassy of France launch the “One Health” project to strengthen sustainable practices in Costa Rica

• The initiative will benefit more than 290 people, including producers, rural families and agricultural stakeholders in the Northern Caribbean and the Southern Corcovado region. 

CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center), in cooperation with the Embassy of France, CIRAD, CENIBiot and the University of Costa Rica (UCR), officially launched the FEF project “Cooperation in the field of agriculture with Costa Rica – One Health,” an initiative aimed at raising awareness and supporting producers, rural families and agricultural stakeholders in the adoption of practices that improve global health in their territories. 

The project will run for two years (September 2025 to November 2027) and will operate in two regions of Costa Rica: the Northern Caribbean, with an emphasis on environmental health and cacao, coffee and plantain production; and the Southern region – Corcovado, focused on human health, zoonoses, and the management of backyard animals. 

Overall, the project will benefit 50 producers and their families, 190 people from rural communities, and 50 stakeholders linked to agricultural training, including students, technicians and extension agents. 

During the launch event, the Ambassador of France highlighted the project’s strategic relevance. “This project represents more than scientific cooperation; it embodies a vision that recognizes that human health, animal health and ecosystem health are deeply interconnected. With this project, we are planting a seed today. Let us make it grow together,” said David Izzo, Ambassador of France to Costa Rica. 

The project will establish a network of 45 plots for diagnostics on water health, soil health, crops, wildlife, pesticide exposure and animal health. It will also promote training for more than 150 stakeholders, support 11 thesis students, produce technical fact sheets and promote agroecological practices. 

For her part, Laura Benegas, Director of CATIE’s Division of Research for Green and Inclusive Development, underscored the collaborative nature of the initiative. “This cooperation brings together science, territories and communities to advance toward healthier and more sustainable productive systems. Our commitment is to work alongside producers and local stakeholders to generate practical, evidence-based solutions,” she added. 

The project also includes the development of a community action plan, co-design workshops, applied research, and a broad awareness-raising process using One Health tools, integrating scientific, local and community knowledge. 

With this new effort, CATIE and its partners strengthen scientific cooperation between Costa Rica and France and reaffirm their commitment to sustainable agriculture, global health and inclusive rural development.