Despite facing significant barriers, rural women play an increasingly central role in Costa Rica’s agriculture sector, making key contributions to sustainable farming and livestock management.

The SCALA programme , co-led by FAO and UNDP, recently convened with three Costa Rican experts —Sylvia Chaves Acuña (Gender Specialist, FAO), Rafaella Sánchez Mora (Senior Specialist in Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, UNDP), and Katherine Fernández Rojas (Gender Equality Associate, UNDP)— to get their insights on how to advance gender equality and climate resilience in agriculture in Costa Rica and beyond. Their perspectives highlight how targeted interventions, such as those under the SCALA programme, and collaborative efforts are driving sustainable development and elevating women’s roles in the livestock sector.