Costa Rica expands meteorological station network for agriculture

The Costa Rican Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) is expanding its national agroclimatic monitoring coverage by installing 24 new meteorological stations across the country's eight development regions. These new units will join 27 existing stations to create a consolidated network of 51 operational stations dedicated to the agricultural sector.

This infrastructure will provide real-time data on precipitation, temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. Some locations will also include soil sensors to measure nitrogen and potassium levels directly. Utilizing Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the system aims to provide producers with timely information to optimize crop management, improve water and input efficiency, and mitigate risks associated with climate variability.

The initiative is part of the MAG 4 project, a strategy designed to strengthen the digital transformation of the sector through precision agriculture. The stations will be linked to strategic regional production systems, including citrus, palm, coffee, pineapple, pasture, plantain, and carrot crops.