Food policy coherence for sustainable development: the case of the rice sector in Costa Rica

The term ‘Food Sovereignty’ has often been invoked in  developing countries to justify protectionist trade policies  aimed at promoting sustainable development, improve the livelihood of farmers, protect natural resources and enhance local food supply for local consumers. Costa Rica did so too when designing its rice support program to promote sustainable agriculture. Our Sustainability Impact Assessment illustrates how this rice policy largely failed to achieve its objectives due to the incoherence of the underlying policy principles that very much reflect the philosophy of the Food Sovereignty movement. The paper concludes by suggesting that Costa Rica may have to open its rice market to create the desired welfare gains  for its most vulnerable citizens and contribute to sustainable agriculture.