Program launches call for applications for women-led rural enterprises in the Brunca Region

Through the +Natura +Rural program, partner institutions launch an initiative to strengthen the rural bioeconomy

San José, February 19, 2026. The Institute of Rural Development (INDER), the Nature Investment Facility (NIF), and the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announce the launch of the +Natura +Rural program and the opening of its first call for applications aimed at women-led enterprises in the Brunca Region.

The program seeks to strengthen enterprises that integrate sustainability, responsible use of biodiversity, and income generation, recognizing the key role rural women play in the local economy, ecosystem conservation, and territorial identity.

“Biodiversity and the natural heritage of the Brunca Region constitute a strategic foundation for advancing truly sustainable development. +Natura +Rural was created to support women who transform this wealth into productive initiatives, strengthening their enterprises and promoting greater economic inclusion in rural communities,” said Sandra Sosa Cárcamo, UNDP Resident Representative in Costa Rica.

+Natura +Rural offers a comprehensive model that combines specialized technical assistance with productive co-investment, aimed at consolidating enterprises capable of generating positive economic, social, and environmental impacts. Participants will receive support in key areas such as sustainability, business management, formalization, market access, and capacity development.

In addition, the program will prioritize investment in equipment, tools, and strategic inputs that enhance productivity, improve the quality of products and services, and strengthen the sustainability of business models, contributing to the growth and resilience of each enterprise.

Ricardo Quesada Salas, Executive President of INDER, stated: “This launch represents an institutional innovation that will generate greater impact in rural territories, beginning in the Brunca Region. It is INDER’s first program exclusively targeted at one of the vulnerable populations that Law 9036—which created INDER—mandates the Institute to serve, through non-reimbursable financial resources.”

For this first call, +Natura +Rural will have an initial investment of CRC 250 million. Between 2026 and 2030, the program aims to mobilize at least CRC 2.15 billion, benefiting more than 350 rural women and progressively expanding to new territories across the country.

Who can apply

The call is open to women residing in the Brunca Region who lead enterprises with at least six months of operation, linked to the following economic activities:

• Agrotourism
• Handicrafts with territorial identity
• Natural cosmetics
• Natural medicine
• Textiles with cultural identity

For this call, applications from enterprises located in Indigenous territories of the Brunca Region will not be accepted, as these initiatives are specifically supported through the Raíces Program, which has a differentiated approach to technical assistance and investment.

The +Natura +Rural program establishes two support categories, according to the level of development and consolidation of the enterprise:

• Entrepreneur: for early-stage and non-formalized initiatives.
• Scaling/Operational: for more consolidated enterprises that meet certain formalization criteria.

These categories allow technical assistance and investment to be tailored to the needs and level of maturity of each initiative.

Interested applicants may submit their application by completing the form available at:
https://sway.cloud.microsoft/mblIJXEzgC8vY6RL?ref=Link

For questions or additional information, please contact: programa.naturarural@gmail.com.

+Natura +Rural represents a joint effort to promote new economic opportunities in rural territories, foster sustainable productive models, and strengthen women’s leadership as key drivers of development. With the support of the Governments of Denmark, Luxembourg, and the Republic of Korea, whose catalytic investment has been mobilized through UNDP’s Nature Investment Facility—the country will benefit from a new initiative that reaffirms its commitment to a more inclusive and prosperous future in harmony with nature.

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