The Government of the Republic of Costa Rica presents the Public Policy for Pesticides for Agricultural Use 2024–2034, a strategic instrument that marks a turning point in the responsible management of agrochemicals in the country.

Built on a collaborative effort between the Ministries of Agriculture and Livestock, Health and Environment, and Energy, this initiative will guide concrete actions over the next decade in favor of sustainable, productive agriculture committed to public health and environmental protection.

The public policy emerges as part of the strategic priorities of the Chaves Robles Administration and consolidates the Costa Rican State's commitment to the safe, regulated, and efficient use of pesticides for agricultural use.

“With this policy, we are modernizing national agriculture, strengthening its competitiveness through the safe and sustainable use of pesticides. We are promoting responsible production that protects health, the environment, and biodiversity, without affecting productivity or market access. It is a roadmap toward a more efficient, transparent agriculture that meets the challenges of the 21st century,” stated the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Víctor Julio Carvajal Porras.

The Public Policy for Pesticides for Agricultural Use 2024-2034 is structured around three fundamental pillars:

Interinstitutional Regulatory Framework: focused on updating current regulations through technical coordination between the responsible institutions.

Safety and sustainability in pesticide management: aimed at strengthening technical capacities and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

Digital transformation and traceability: aimed at establishing a comprehensive digital system that streamlines records, provides transparency, and strengthens data-based decision-making.

“This effort seeks to promote more sustainable and safer agriculture, with a preventative approach to reduce exposure to pesticides and protect the health of producers, farmworkers, and communities. With these actions, we reaffirm our commitment to the health of the population, environmental protection, and the promotion of responsible and sustainable agriculture,” added Dr. Mary Munive, Vice President of the Republic and Minister of Health.

Franz Tattenbach Capra, Minister of Environment and Energy, emphasized, “This Policy has allowed the MINAE agencies that address issues of biodiversity, climate change, and pollution to join forces to improve the environmental management of pesticides. It also maintains joint work with the Ministries of Agriculture and Health on the various strategic actions to be implemented in the first action plan designed for the 2024-2028 period.”

Furthermore, as part of the progress in modernizing the sector, the registration of technical-grade active ingredients (TAI) through full-data evaluation is being launched on the One-Stop Investment Window (SWI) digital platform, led by PROCOMER.

This development is part of Proyecto País (Country Project), an initiative that promotes institutional efficiency and improves the user experience in government processes. The new TWI functionality will allow for digital validation of requirements, reducing response times, and issuing one-time warnings, thereby significantly improving registration management.

Regulatory Advances and Control Measures

Since 2023, Executive Decree No. 43838-MAG-S-MINAE has been in force. This decree establishes the registration by homologation of technical-grade active ingredients (TAI) and formulated pesticides approved in OECD countries or members of the AMD system. This decree has allowed for the approval of 40 TAI registrations and 15 formulated pesticide registrations in record time.

In May 2025, Executive Decree No. 45007-MAG-S-MINAE amended the regulations to incorporate new registration mechanisms and establish a "List of Molecules Not Authorized for Registration through Approval," in accordance with current prohibitions in OECD countries.

This list, prepared by the MAG-SFE, MINAE, and MS, includes 18 molecules subject to future technical evaluation to determine their possible withdrawal from the national market due to posing unacceptable risks to health or the environment.

Strengthening Traceability: Digital Prescription for Restricted-Use Pesticides

As part of the modernization and strengthening of control over the use of agrochemicals, the MAG-SFE has developed a digital prescription tool for restricted-use pesticides, issued exclusively by authorized agricultural engineers. This innovation allows for greater traceability and oversight, promotes the rational use of products, and contributes to the protection of human health and the environment.

With these efforts, Costa Rica reaffirms its regional leadership in agro-environmental policies, guiding agricultural development.