Global governance is a strategy to address the problems of food production and consumption, as well as to encourage responsible investments in agriculture. The FAO proposed 10 Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture (CFS-RAI) which, like the SDGs, are guidelines that guide the design of policies; however, although they are not necessarily considered, there are semantic coincidences. The objective was to analyze to what extent the CFS-RAI Principles and SDGs 2 and 12 are being contemplated in Ecuador’s agrarian policy. The semantic and content analysis of the policy was carried out, coding nodes and categories from keywords using the Nvivo program. The results show that the policy incorporates Principles 2, 8, and 7 and is aligned with SDG 2 in terms of increased productivity and income (target 2.3) linked to international markets (target 2.b, 2.c), the provision of infrastructure, research, agricultural extension, technology (target 2.a), agrobiodiversity, and traditional knowledge (target 2.5). It is related to targets 12.1, 12.2, and 12a of SDG 12. It is concluded that responsible investment in agriculture following the CFS-RAI Principles is a viable way to promote the achievement of the SDGs. The agrarian policy must be reformulated to incorporate the Principles and targets of the SDGs that are not considered but are important. The findings give insight to researchers and policymakers working on this area.

Food production faces significant economic, social, and environmental challenges. The Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture (CFS-RAI), aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), provide a framework for implementing actions and investments in sustainable food production. Farmers are the primary investors in their agricultural activities, playing a fundamental role in the sustainability of rural territories. This study aims to analyze the rural development innovation system implemented by the Fundación Casa Campesina Cayambe and its alignment with the CFS-RAI principles and SDG. Focusing on 129 women producing healthy food within the Kayambi people and adopting a mixed-methods approach, including participant observation, interviews, and focus groups, the research examines the integration of public institutions, academia, and civil society in promoting sustainable rural development. The findings indicate that key innovation processes include a participatory, community-based, and gender-sensitive microcredit system implemented by the Foundation. Additionally, the technical and scientific support provided by the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana enhances investment capacity and knowledge acquisition, strengthening both individual and collective capacities for food production and commercialization. The study concludes that a decentralized and coordinated cooperation system, involving multiple territorial stakeholders, fosters the economic autonomy of female producers while adhering to the principles of CFS-RAI and the SDG.