When Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico in September 2017, many coffee farmers saw their life’s work disappear overnight. The storm destroyed over 80% of the island’s coffee trees, leaving farmers with little income and the daunting task of rebuilding. Since then, TechnoServe and its partners have teamed up to help restore the island’s coffee industry and support thousands of farmers.
In Puerto Rico, TechnoServe is helping coffee farmers like Ricardo Ruiz Castro rebuild after a series of devastating natural disasters. Through the program, coffee farmers learn techniques that will help them significantly increase their yields, improve their incomes, and access better farming supplies, financing, and markets.
TechnoServe staff are going beyond their usual program work to support coffee communities in southern Puerto Rico after a recent series of earthquakes.
We spoke with TechnoServe’s new coffee program manager for Puerto Rico about his background in coffee, his plans to revive the industry, and the biggest challenges he foresees.
Director of Strategic Initiatives Myriam Sainz draws on her experience rebuilding coffee communities with Nespresso to identify how to best invest in countries hit by conflict or crisis.
We spoke with TechnoServe’s Coffee Program Manager for Puerto Rico about his plans to revive the industry, the biggest challenges he foresees, and what it’s like to be back home.
In the devastating wake of Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico lost 80 percent of its coffee trees, crippling an important sector of its economy. Now TechnoServe and its partners are teaming up to help rebuild the island’s coffee industry and support thousands of farmers.
In the devastating wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Puerto Rico lost an estimated 80 percent 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.
