Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Rural development

Costa Rica aims to promote rural development with intersectoral projects

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

With IICA’s support, representatives of the country’s public institutions aim to devise joint projects designed to promote the development of rural territories.

San Jose, Costa Rica, September 16, 2014 (IICA). Costa Rica’s Ministry for National Planning and Economic Policy (MIDEPLAN), with support from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), has sets itself the objectives of improving the capacity of public institutions for coordinated work, and promoting projects designed to strengthen rural area-based development.

Luis Fallas, the Deputy Minister of MIDEPLAN (left); Liliana Monge, Executive Director of SEPSA and Miguel Ángel Arvelo, the IICA Representative in Costa Rica participated in the meeting.

Officials from MIDEPLAN and public institutions linked to the agricultural, rural development, labor, culture and environment sectors, as well as the Office of the President and the ministries of foreign and economic affairs, met with specialists from IICA’s Office in Costa Rica to discuss and share methodologies and experiences aimed at integrating the actions of different sectors in rural territories.

“Our objectives are well defined but we need to be clear about how to carry out the high-impact actions that these territories require,” Luis Fallas, the Deputy Minister of MIDEPLAN, observed.

Miguel Ángel Arvelo, the IICA Representative in Costa Rica, agreed with him, underscoring the need for high-impact projects at the country level to facilitate the integration of the programs of different sectors.

“Rural development will be facilitated by integrating projects and should be carried out as part of an overarching project that guides the efforts of the different sectors. We are not talking only about improving the economic situation, but also about promoting social, environmental, cultural and political development,” he added.

Arvelo explained that IICA was assisting MIDEPLAN with its efforts to create mechanisms for work involving interinstitutional and sectoral interaction, integrating the institutional supply with the needs of the actors in different territories.

During the meeting, the participants presented conceptual and methodological elements that can be used to facilitate intersectoral work, as well as Brazil’s experience with the implementation of intersectoral projects. The latter presentation was given by Humberto Oliveira, Brazil’s former Secretary for Area-based Development, now an IICA consultant.

“Enhancing the efforts to address regional needs calls for intersectoral projects designed to create more job opportunities, improve the production infrastructure and reduce poverty levels,” commented Patricia Vargas, an IICA specialist in rural are a-based development.

For further information, contact: 
miguel.arvelo@iica.int

 

Share

Related news​

Ribeirao Preto, Brasil

June 27, 2025

At the IFAMA World Conference, IICA Director General underscored the need to build a new narrative for agriculture to be recognized as essential for solutions to planetary challenges

The Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Manuel Otero, participated in Brazil in one of the largest global conferences in the agricultural sector, IFAMA, where he emphasized the need to build a new narrative highlighting the essential role of agriculture in the Americas as part of the solution to the challenges facing humanity.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Montreal, Canadá

June 26, 2025

Countries of the Americas positioned themselves as global suppliers of sustainable aviation fuels at key industry event held in Montreal

The Pan American Coalition on Liquid Biofuels (CPBIO) had a prominent role at the Aviation Climate Week of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), held in Montreal (Canada), with the participation of leading actors in the sector who discussed the latest developments in environmental matters.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Brasilia, Brazil

June 25, 2025

IICA strengthens its partnership with EMBRAPA and is set to install its Home of Sustainable Agriculture of the Americas pavilion in the “AgriZone” at COP30

During the meeting, the senior EMBRAPA and IICA officials also exchanged ideas on how to deepen reciprocal collaboration at the international level, with a focus on cooperation with countries in Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins