Good practices of initiative:
Proyecto “De Turrialba a la Mesa” en Costa Rica
Relevance
It measures the alignment of the initiative with existing policy frameworks in the country. In addition, the scalability of the initiative to other realities and geographies is valued.
| Marco | Description | Ambit | Country | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Policy for the Costa Rican Agri-food Sector and Rural Development | The State Policy for the Agri-Food Sector and Rural Development of Costa Rica (PESA) 2010-2021 is the national strategic framework that guides the transformation of the Costa Rican agricultural sector towards a competitive, sustainable, and inclusive model. It establishes four fundamental axes: (1) Food and nutritional security, (2) Competitive development of agricultural activities through innovation, technical development, and market access, (3) Territorial management for rural development with a participatory approach and organizational strengthening, and (4) Adaptation and mitigation to climate change through sustainable production practices. The project is directly aligned with axes 2, 3, and 4 by promoting the competitiveness of Turrialba cheese through a Designation of Origin, implementing low-carbon livestock practices, strengthening local organizations (ASOPROA), and facilitating access to premium markets for small producers. | National | Costa Rica | Link |
| Costa Ricas National Decarbonization Plan | The National Decarbonization Plan 2018-2050 is Costa Rica's roadmap to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by the mid-21st century, positioning the country as a global leader in climate action. It establishes 10 axes of sectoral transformation, with Axis 2, "Agriculture and Land Use," being particularly relevant. It proposes the transition to low-carbon livestock systems, sustainable water resource management, reduction of enteric methane and nitrous oxide, and improved productivity through climate-smart practices. The National Low-Carbon Livestock Strategy (also known as NAMA Livestock) is the specific instrument for the livestock sector that promotes: (1) silvopastoral systems, (2) integrated animal nutrition management to reduce emissions, (3) manure and wastewater treatment, (4) genetic and pasture improvement to increase productivity per hectare, and (5) certification of climate-smart farms. The project is directly linked to implementing good environmental management practices (whey, slurry, and wastewater management), developing technical proposals for byproduct utilization, promoting production efficiency (kg of milk/hectare), and integrating sustainable technologies in the 25 production units, thus contributing to the national goals of reducing emissions from the livestock sector. | National | Costa Rica | Link |
Eficacy
This measures how well the objectives and goals set out in the initiative were fulfilled, as well as the extent to which the results achieved are attributable to the actions implemented by the initiative.
| Indicator | Description | Indicator Type | Measure Unit | Base date | Base | Goal | Measure Date | Measure | Compliance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption of Good Production Practices | Number of linked production units that show improvement in productivity levels measured by average monthly kg of milk/hectare. | Results | Number of farms with an increase in kg milk/hectare/month | 15-12-2023 | 0 fincas con mejora documentada | 20 de 25 fincas (80%) | 15-12-2023 | 0 | Link | |
| Certification of Designation of Origin | Number of production units that have obtained D.O. certification for Turrialba milk or cheese. | Impact | Number of certifications obtained | 15-12-2023 | 10 unidades productivas iniciales con D.O. | +10 certificaciones nuevas | 01-01-1970 | Link | ||
| New Markets Access | Number of processing plants that access new markets (distribution channels). | Results | Number of plants with new commercial agreements | 01-01-1970 | 0 acuerdos comerciales nuevos | 3 de 5 plantas (60%) | 01-01-1970 | Link |
Eficiencia
Efficiency is the assessment of whether a public intervention achieves its objectives while using resources in a way that the costs incurred are proportional to the economic, social, or environmental benefits obtained.
| Indicator | Description | Indicator Type | Measure Unit | Base date | Base | Goal | Measure Date | Measure | Compliance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Project Investment | Project Benefit/Cost Ratio | Efficiency | B/C ratio | 2023-12-15 | Ratio B/C > 1.5 | Link | ||||
| Cost per productive unit processed | Efficiency in Technical Support. | Efficiency | USD per direct beneficiary | Presupuesto inicial | $16,854 por unidad productiva (considerando 30 beneficiarios directos) | Link | ||||
| Percentage of farms/plants with an increase in average annual profitability | Increase in Profitability. | Efficiency | Percentage of beneficiaries | 70% de unidades productivas | Link |
Sustentaibility
It measures the installed capacities or actions identified to maintain or improve the results of the policy initiative.
| Indicator | Description | Indicator Type | Measure Unit | Base date | Base | Goal | Measure Date | Measure | Compliance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance rate of the ASOPROA Improvement Plan | ASOPROA Self-Management Capacity. | Sustainability | Percentage of activities completed | 0% (plan no iniciado) | 80% de actividades implementadas | Evaluación de actividades ejecutadas vs. planificadas | Expected ≥80% | Link | ||
| Number of farms that continue to operate with implemented sustainable technologies 12 months post-project | Adoption of Sustainable Technologies. | Sustainability | Number of farms/plants | 0 fincas con seguimiento post-proyecto | 90% de las unidades que implementaron tecnologías | Auditoría de seguimiento 12 meses después del cierre | Expected ≥22 of 25 units | |||
| Percentage of active trade agreements 18 months post-project | Measures how many of the trade agreements established during the project remain active and generate regular business transactions. | Sustainability | Percentage of active agreements | 100% de acuerdos iniciales | Verificación de transacciones comerciales | Expected ≥75% | Link |
Learned lessons
Gained knowledge from implementing, evaluating, and managing a policy intervention, including why it was or was not effective and how it could be improved in the future.
| Lesson | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Investing in the producers' association (ASOPROA) is as important as strengthening individual farms. | The project dedicates specific resources to strengthening ASOPROA (evaluation, improvement plan, association management workshops), recognizing that a weak organization compromises sustainability. A robust association: (1) facilitates collective access to markets, (2) allows for more favorable negotiations, (3) maintains post-project extension services, (4) manages the collective D.O. brand, and (5) generates social cohesion. Without this component, individual benefits are quickly diluted. | Link |
| Personalized technical support for 12 months is more effective than massive group training. | The project establishes clear selection criteria, prioritizing producers with: (1) a level of operational maturity, (2) current D.O. certification or genuine interest, (3) availability of resources for investment, and (4) commitment documented through a signed letter. This practice minimizes attrition, maximizes ownership, and ensures that resources are invested in those who will actually implement the changes. The experience of the SBD Financing Program (330+ producers) validates this approach. | Link |
| Investing in the producers' association (ASOPROA) is as important as strengthening individual farms. | The project allocates significant resources ($223,050) to individual mentoring services with up to 12 sessions per production unit. This mentoring model allows for: (1) tailoring solutions to specific contexts, (2) closely monitoring the implementation of the Improvement Plan, (3) adjusting strategies based on actual progress, and (4) ensuring control over the use of funds. Evidence from the SBD program demonstrates that this approach achieves greater adoption of practices than traditional agricultural extension models. | |
| Obtaining D.O. certification is insufficient; consumer education and access to premium markets are needed. | The project recognizes that the D.O. (unique in Central America) is an underutilized asset because: (1) consumers are unaware of its differential value, (2) producers lack channels to reach higher-income markets, and (3) there is unfair competition from imitations. Therefore, it invests $31,457 in a communications strategy and $46,475 in identifying new channels. The lesson is that quality certifications require a parallel investment in marketing and sales to translate into better prices. | Link |
| Addressing production or marketing alone is insufficient; comprehensive intervention is required. | The project is structured in four sequential and interdependent stages: (1) comprehensive diagnosis, (2) customized improvement plans, (3) technical and financial support in multiple dimensions (productive, environmental, business, quality), and (4) market access with appropriate packaging and a communication strategy. This systemic vision recognizes that improving productivity without access to better prices, or accessing premium markets without the ability to meet quality standards, results in failure. Comprehensiveness is key to real impact. | Link |
| Implementing traceability and HACCP systems is not bureaucracy, but a requirement for formal markets. | The project invests $25,250 to implement OIRSA's Traceability System and $17,165 to implement HACCP prerequisites. Although these systems represent additional effort, they are essential for: (1) meeting legal requirements of formal buyers, (2) ensuring food safety, (3) standing out from informal competition, (4) preparing for eventual export, and (5) generating consumer confidence. The lesson is that formalization and professionalization are investments, not expenses. | Link |