Social-Ecological Resilience in Agriculture: Producer Experiences in Central and Northern Costa Rica

Abstract

The agriculture sector, while essential for human well-being, faces substantial challenges related to climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequality. The purpose of this research was to determine how agricultural producers strengthened the social-ecological resilience of their production systems in response to these key challenges. Resilient agricultural systems provide a myriad of social and ecological benefits to communities through essential ecosystem services. Therefore, deepening our understanding on how best to support and enhance resilience among agricultural producers is imperative, while also recognizing that beneficial management strategies are often highly location-specific. Focused on producers in Costa Rica’s Central Valley and Northern Zone, the objectives of this study were to identify the local strategies and practices producers employed to build their social-ecological resilience and examine the barriers that limited their resilience. The final research objective was to contribute to the literature on social-ecological resilience indicators in the context of agriculture using insights from this study. To address these objectives, I conducted semi-structured interviews with crop and livestock producers in Alajuela, San José, and Cartago. Participants were asked questions aimed at uncovering information related to eight resilience indicators. These indicators were: species and varietal diversity, landscape diversity, sustainable resource use, availability and exchange of seeds and livestock, innovation in management practices, local networks and institutions, gender, and autonomy. Findings from this study revealed how producers experienced and perceived aspects of their production systems which have been identified in the literature to influence resilience. These insights can guide future agricultural management practices both in and outside the study area, promoting viable, sustainable, robust, and resilient food systems.