Although Costa Rica does not present desertification problems (due to its position in an region of big climatic changes), it has on its territory different areas prone to the drought and to the floods as result of the climatic changes, generally associated to "El Niño" and "la Niña" phenomena. The country presents also problems of land degradation, in relatively dry regions (like the north Guanacaste region), as well as in those very humid, which are found in diverse regions of the Atlantic Slope or in the South of Pacific.

 

Considering the national situation of land degradation, the government in Costa Rica ratified in 8 January 1998 the agreement of the United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

 

Nine watersheds, that present the highest degradation indexes in the country, are located in the dry sub-humid regions, with the following order from bigger to smaller degradation: Jesús María, Barranca, Tárcoles, Parrita, Abangares, Bebedero, Tusubres, Tempisque and Nicoya. The selected community, Juanilama, presents itself as a case study and is located in the watershed of "Río Barranca".

National:

Comisión Asesora sobre Degradación de Tierras (CADETI). (Commission Advisory on Land Degradation, CADETI). Who leads the process of formulation and elaboration of the National Action Plan (PAN), in close collaboration with the Focal Point/ of the UNCCD.

 

Comisión Nacional Agroforestal (CONAF). (Agroforestry National Commission, CONAF). It promotes the agro-forestry politics of the country through the Ministry of Environment (MINAE) and the diverse governmental and not governmental entities that integrate it.

 

Local:

Asociación de Desarrollo Comunal (Association of Communal Development). Its mission is to lead the integral development of the Community.

 

Asociación Administradora del Acueducto (Administrative Association of the Aqueduct). Whose function is to oversee the water supply in the community (operation and maintenance).