Presentation by HE Luis Felipe Arauz Cavalini from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica at the closing session of the Agriculture Advantage event series on the sidelines of COP23. More information about the event series: https://bit.ly/AgAdvantage

2. Agricultural competitiveness under a
low carbon development pathway
Lessons learned from Costa Rican
agriculture

3. Climate
change
Agriculture
Food
Security

4. Climate
change
Food
Security
Agriculture

5. Climate
Change
Food
security
Agriculture
Availability Access
Consumption
Biological
utilization
Local
Production
Money
from
exports
International
Production
Global food
trade system
Production
of GHG
Temperature
PrecipitationReduction
of GHG
Production
of GHG

6. AGRICULTURE CAN FEED THE WORLD
AND HELP THE ENVIRONMENT
But we need fundamental changes

7. Climate-smart agriculture
Eco-competitiveness
Productivity
Adaptation
Mitigation

8. 1. GHG production in agriculture result from
system inefficiencies
Conceptual framework
Nitrogen
Proteín
N2O
Other
environ-
mental
fate
Produc
tivity
Climate
change
For example,
Nitrous oxide, N2O:
Nitrous oxide
represents nitrogen
that did not contribute
to productivity
Therefore, reducing GHG can increase efficiency
Cost
Productivity

9. 2. Agricultural systems provide opportunities
for carbon sequestration
In trees
In soil
3. Mitigation strategies can improve adaptation
to climate change
Water management
Microclimate modification
Nutrient management
Soil organic matter
Conceptual framework

10. FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE
Making change feasible

11. From theory to practice: livestock
Shade
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
National average Pilot 2015 Pilot 2016
Animal load, Animal Units/Hectare
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
NationalAverage Pilot 2015 Pilot 2016
Milk production, Tons per month per farm
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
Carboncapture in
forested area
Carboncapture in trees
withinpastures
Emissions (99%
methane)
TonsofCO2eq
Carbon balance at farm level

12. From theory to practice: coffee
GOOD FERTILIZATION
PRACTICES:
sources and rates:
reduction of N2O by
35% without losing
productivity
GOOD FERTILIZATION
PRACTICES
To reduce N2O
emissions
AGROFORESTRY
SYSTEMS
A traditional practice
with benefits
The farm
Residualwater treatment
Solid waste (pulp)
management
The mill
Composting Gasification
CH4
CH4
N2O
N2O
GHGTon/year
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Oxidationpond Sprayon pasture
Emissions,CO2eq(kg/258kg
fruit
Wastewatertreatment
N2O
CO2
CH4

13. From theory to practice: the main players
Capacity building: 3000 + people trained 97 pilot farms/mills 16 education materials