Without Land of Their Own: Nicaraguan Farmers Sustain Costa Rican Tables Through Rented Plots

Nicaraguan farmers in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, form the "Promised Land" cooperative, renting plots every six months to continue their agricultural heritage despite land ownership barriers.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 27, 2026, 10:46 AM EDT

Source: The Tico Times

The "Promised Land" Cooperative: A 20-Year Wait

Since 2006, the "Promised Land" cooperative has operated with a singular, unfulfilled mission: to transition from renters to owners. Unlike many Nicaraguan migrants who enter the construction or domestic service sectors, these families have fought to remain in agriculture, a trade inherited from their parents. For two decades, they have petitioned the Rural Development Institute (INDER) for the opportunity to purchase their own land. To date, they continue to pay out-of-pocket for short-term rentals, seeds, and fertilizers, operating without the safety net of bank loans or long-term contracts.

Economic Resilience Amidst Climate Uncertainty

The life of a tenant farmer in Guanacaste is one of high risk and low security. With contracts expiring every six months, the members of "Promised Land" live under the constant threat of displacement. Furthermore, the region is prone to volatile weather; a single tropical storm can obliterate a season's worth of investment in corn, beans, yam, and malanga. Despite these hurdles, the cooperative remains a vital link in the local food supply chain, ensuring that staple crops reach thousands of Costa Rican households.

Women at the Helm of Agricultural Integration

The cooperative is distinguished by strong female leadership, with women like Martha Elena Somarriba and María Esther Garzón driving the group’s perseverance.