Costa Rica
CATIE was established more than 40 years ago in the city of Turrialba, Costa Rica, where it has its headquarters, by an agreement between the Government of Costa Rica and IICA. In Costa Rica, it actively collaborates with local and national governments, grassroots organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations to provide a timely, coherent and innovative response to the demands and needs at different levels and thematic areas of the country.
Research and development
Regional projects
Project: Scaling-up of Ecosystem-Based Adaptation Measures in the Rural Area of Latin America: Aimed at increasing the resilience to climate change of vulnerable communities and ecosystems in Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Guatemala, through the application of innovative and profitable participatory approaches Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) at the landscape level so that countries can meet national adaptation goals.
Agroforestry Systems Adapted for the Central American Dry Corridor Project (AGRO-INNOVA): It seeks to improve the resilience of family agriculture in the Central American Dry Corridor, through the validation and extension of multi-layer agroforestry systems to produce basic grains. It is executed with IICA and operates in all the Central American countries.
Development of sustainable forestry models for secondary forests in Central America with links to private financing Project: Identifies, analyzes, and advises local governments and landowners to undertake sustainable forestry, by implementing forest management concepts and silvopastoral practices and linking with public and private financing. This project operates in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras with funds from the International Climate Initiative (IKI), supported by the Government of Germany.
National projects
Transformative Low Carbon and Climate Resilient Pathways of Costa Rica (TRANSFORMA): This ambitious project is funded by the German fund IKI / BMUB, executed with the leadership of GIZ and various local and national partners. It is developing installed capacity in towns and institutions to successfully design, implement and monitor priority actions of NDC, NAMA and MRV, with a view to transforming the fishing and agriculture sectors into sustainable and climate-resilient production systems, for which they address green markets and reduce emissions in three sectors. In addition, it is working on establishing innovative financial mechanisms and incentive systems to leverage and mobilize public and private funds for the long-term financing of Action against Climate Change throughout Costa Rica.
Blue carbon and international mechanisms and national commitments of Costa Rica before the UNFCCC: Generates technical inputs and capacities for the effective inclusion of blue carbon within the INGEI of Costa Rica and other pertinent monitoring systems towards the fulfillment of international commitments and the NDC.
Ecological rehabilitation of the mangrove ecosystem in the Estero Puntarenas Wetland and associated mangroves: In order to contribute to and comply with both the legal mandates and the goals of the national biodiversity strategy, this project aims to develop, as a priority, the rehabilitation or restoration of 300 hectares located mainly in the Estero Puntarenas Wetland and contribute –at the same time– with the process of rehabilitation and restoration of mangroves in the Cipancí National Wildlife Refuge, as well as in the Colorado region of Abangares and San Buenaventura, sites located on the east coast from the Gulf of Nicoya.
Responsible providers, technology and citizen participation for the improvement of water services in vulnerable communities in Costa Rica: The proposed project aims to impact the accountability mechanisms and improve them in at least 40 ASADAS, in addition the AyA and three second level of ASADAS organizations in the most vulnerable and marginalized areas, outside the Central Valley of Costa Rica.
Technical assistance to public institutions in Costa Rica in the execution of the National Decarbonization Plan: With the support of AFD and in coordination with CIRAD, public institutions are being strengthened at the national level to implement the National Decarbonization Plan. All the experience, methodologies and technologies generated by CATIE are made available to the national partners so that Costa Rica can move forward in this important goal at the national level, which will position it at the global level.
Capacity Building
Postgraduate and training
- 374 graduates to date
- 17 current students
- 350 families trained
- 1099 professionals and technical personnel
Strategic partners
- Public sector partners: MINAE, MAG, SINAC, FONAFIFO, INTA y CORFOGA
- Academic sector partners: UCR, UNA e ITCR
- International Cooperation: IKI/BMUB, AFD, CI, CIRAD, GIZ, UICN, IICA, Alianza CIAT-Bioversity, PNUD y BCIE
Offer of value for the country
CATIE can support the country in the following areas: climate change and institutional strengthening to comply with national environmental agendas, agroforestry systems with coffee and cocoa, development of strategies to promote low-carbon livestock, forest management, and tourism. sustainable, circular economy and sustainable agribusiness, water security and information platforms for comprehensive territorial approach, among others.