Data or statistical facts on the situation and perspectives of agri-food systems and the impact of policies
From October 5 to 11, 2026, every region of Costa Rica is forecast to receive below-normal rainfall. The IMN estimates an extreme-event probability of about 20%, although it reports high uncertainty for this final week of the outlook.
During the four weeks from September 14 to October 11, 2026, the IMN forecasts below-normal rainfall in Costa Rica's Pacific region, Central Valley, and Western Northern Zone. The pattern is expected to be associated with El Niño and stronger-than-usual trade winds.
Between 30 and 155 mm of rain could accumulate in Costa Rica's Northern Zone from September 14 to 20, 2026, the highest forecast range among the country's regions. The probability of an extreme event is low, at about 25%, and forecast uncertainty is also low.
50% of Latin America's energy comes from hydroelectric sources, making the region highly exposed to El Niño; droughts force reliance on costlier thermal plants, raising agricultural production costs (Castellanos, 2026).
In the sectoral mapping of PAIs, agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing accounts for 248 PAIs (34.8%), followed by manufacturing (188), tourism (70) and ICT (51); additionally, 32 PAIs in health are identified, according to the report (ECLAC, 2025).
56.6% of the population lived in fully formal households in Costa Rica (OECD, 2024).
23% of the world’s forests and 60% of global biodiversity are located in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting the region’s strategic importance for ecosystem and biodiversity conservation. This significant share also reflects the critical role of LAC in providing essential ecosystem services and in supporting global efforts to address environmental degradation and climate change (Worl...
58% of greenhouse gas emissions in Latin America and the Caribbean originate from land use, land-use change, and the forestry sector, highlighting the significant weight of these activities in the region’s climate dynamics and the urgent need to strengthen mitigation efforts (World Resources Institute, 2024).
Up to 70% of agricultural productivity growth in Latin America and the Caribbean is reduced when environmental costs are taken into account. The increase in production has been driven mainly by the intensive use of inputs rather than by technological or managerial improvements, highlighting the need for policies that integrate sustainability and innovation. (IDB, 2025)
0.4% of the 497 productive articulation initiatives (PAI) (same 20 countries; 2023–2025) focus on specialized public infrastructure development (ECLAC, 2025).
