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Caribbean Latin America and the Caribbean Puerto Rico Coffee

After Hurricane Fiona, Puerto Rico Tries to Recover Once Again

Puerto Rico was recently hit by Hurricane Fiona. Here are photos from our staff and the farmers we work with taken during the early aftermath of the storm.

Just a few weeks ago, we shared the story of two children of coffee farmers in Puerto Rico named Ariana Vanessa and Emily Rose Rodriguez. They spoke of the terror they experienced during Hurricane Maria, which hit the island five years ago. But today, a new storm has once again disrupted life for their family and community.

Last week, Hurricane Fiona devastated Puerto Rico with the worst flooding since Hurricane Maria in 2017. Today, thousands of people on the island remain without power, and the full extent of the damage is still unknown. And the island’s coffee production, which hundreds of farmers worked to bring back to pre-Hurricane Maria levels just this year, is similarly uncertain. 

TechnoServe’s team in Puerto Rico is working tirelessly with the island’s farmers to assess damage and support their recovery. Below are photos from our staff and the farmers we work with that provide a window into the situation on the ground in the early aftermath of the storm.

Ariana Vanessa and Emily Rose venture onto their family’s farm to assess damage following Hurricane Fiona.
In the devastating wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Puerto Rico lost an estimated 80% of its coffee trees, crippling an important sector of its economy. This $85 million loss for the country’s industry, left farmers struggling to provide for their families. In the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, many coffee trees were similarly damaged, though the full impact is still unknown.
Mudslides put many structures, like this house, in extremely precarious positions–or washed them away altogether.
A before-and-after view of one home overtaken by flooding during Hurricane Fiona.

The road ahead for many Puerto Ricans is extremely uncertain. But TechnoServe will continue to support the farmers and entrepreneurs on the island who desperately need our support now more than ever. 

Support farmers in Puerto Rico today.