What works in Costa Rica
9 evaluated practices · All catalogues
Evidence snapshot for Costa Rica
Costa Rica has implemented several evidence-backed programmes across digital inclusion, environmental conservation, governance, and public administration. FONATEL Hogares Conectados connected 287,242 households in poverty with subsidised internet, narrowing the digital gap by 22 percentage points, while its Payments for Environmental Services programme has channelled US$565 million to conserve over 1.15 million hectares of forest. Costa Rica's 2009 Electoral Code mandate for 50% women on candidate lists achieved near-parity representation, with women holding 49.1% of Assembly seats in 2022–2026 and winning a historic majority in February 2026. The country has also deployed AI tools in the public sector: ChatbotPJ handles approximately 5,500 judicial queries monthly with reported savings exceeding $14,000, and the tax directorate's e-IAD model detected and exposed an ~₡80 billion fraud network, recovering ₡8 billion in 2025.
Drawn from: FONATEL Hogares Conectados – Subsidised Internet and Device Programme for Households in Poverty (Costa Rica) · Costa Rica Payments for Environmental Services (PSA / FONAFIFO) · Costa Rica's Gender Parity Electoral Code — 49% Women in Legislature (2009–2026) · ChatbotPJ — Costa Rica's Judicial-Branch AI Assistant for Case and Service Queries · CIAT e-IAD — Costa Rica’s AI anomaly detector for e-invoice fraud · Costa Rica's National AI Guide for Teachers — 'Inteligencia Artificial en Clase' · ESPH Procuencas Watershed Tariff Programme (Costa Rica) · Costa Rica's Red Nacional de Cuido y Desarrollo Infantil (REDCUDI) — A Stalling Childcare Network for Working Mothers
Generated from this place's cited practices only. Always check the linked sources. · Refresh
Strengths & weaknesses vs peers
Strengths
Evaluation evidence +0.67
Documented learning +0.276
Demonstrated reach +0.265
Water & soil — retention, infiltration, erosion control +0.24
Evidence of impact / measured public value +0.235
Teacher capability & pedagogy +0.187
Governance, certification & transferability +0.173
Evaluated outcomes +0.163
Transferability / demonstrated replication +0.146
Transparency, fairness & accountability +0.12
Equity & inclusion +0.11
Gender-mainstreaming embedding +0.098
Transparency, ethics & data protection +0.083
Weaknesses
Biodiversity — conservation / improvement, evidenced -0.105
Sustainability (ongoing) -0.147
Curator validation -0.25
Innovation level -0.256
Effectiveness -0.311
Impact on gender equality -0.327
Achievement / evidence -0.427
Efficiency -0.517
Top good practices here
Costa Rica Payments for Environmental Services (PSA / FONAFIFO) · 87
Costa Rica's Gender Parity Electoral Code — 49% Women in Legislature (2009–2026) · 78
ChatbotPJ — Costa Rica's Judicial-Branch AI Assistant for Case and Service Queries · 73
CIAT e-IAD — Costa Rica’s AI anomaly detector for e-invoice fraud · 73
Costa Rica's National AI Guide for Teachers — 'Inteligencia Artificial en Clase' · 60
ESPH Procuencas Watershed Tariff Programme (Costa Rica) · 40
Recommended to adopt or replicate
Transferable practices from elsewhere that address this place's gaps.
Ciudad Mujer — El Salvador's Integrated Women's Services Programme · fit 125
- Rated highly transferable
- Backed by strong evidence
SASA! Community Mobilisation Programme against Intimate Partner Violence — Uganda · fit 125
- Rated highly transferable
- Backed by strong evidence
Digital Green — Video-Mediated Agricultural Extension · fit 123
- Backed by strong evidence
Kartu Prakerja – National Digital Skills and Financial Inclusion Programme · fit 123
- Backed by strong evidence
LISTA — Tablet-Based Financial Education for Cash-Transfer Recipients · fit 120
- Backed by strong evidence
Rwanda's Land Tenure Regularization Programme — Titling Land in Women's Names · fit 115
- Rated highly transferable
- Backed by strong evidence
- Rated highly transferable
- Backed by strong evidence
Copenhagen Business Hub (Erhvervshus Hovedstaden) · fit 115
- Rated highly transferable
- Backed by strong evidence