Hurricane Fiona Recovery for Puerto Rican Farms

This fundraiser is organised by Ridge to Reefs.

Tax deductible

Hurricane Recovery Update: October 21, 2022

Hurricane recovery work moves forward every day! Ricky Liquet-Gonzalez, Puerto Rico Project Manager for Ridge to Reefs, and the team have been working hard to support small farms impacted by the hurricane.

Nothing slows this team down! Ricky says, "I'll run out of clean clothes before energy and will to continue!"

Farmers have reported crop losses, including cassava, Jamaica flower, okra, and corn. Fruit trees in their 5th and 6th years after planting were destroyed. Soursops, star apples, sugar apples, and avocado trees washed away, and banana harvests were lost. Once access is restored, farmers can begin the hard work of replanting and growing anew.

Progress is being made every day!

Thank you, generous donors, for your support! Your donations are at work supporting recovery efforts!

HURRICANE FIONA Update: September 19, 2022

Hurricane Fiona has knocked out power in Puerto Rico. The catastrophic storm continues to deluge the island with heavy rain, causing dangerous mudslides and flooding. Ricky Liquet-Gonzalez, Puerto Rico Project Manager for Ridge to Reefs, began surveying the initial damage in western Puerto Rico this morning. (As you may recall, Ridge to Reefs has been working with 30 small farms across Puerto Rico to increase crop yields with sustainable agriculture practices.)

Here is the first list of what Ricky reports is needed right now to begin small farm recovery:

chainsaws & chainsaw blades to clear access roads
funds for labor groups to clear damage on farms
tree pruning supplies for storm-damaged trees
rental equipment
repair supplies for greenhouses
repair supplies for nurseries
repair supplies for farm infrastructure
seeds for replanting
repair and replacement materials for destroyed rainwater catchment systems

Ricky says the power is out, but water purification is holding steady. We will keep you posted in the coming days and weeks.

More than well-wishes are needed now! Please give generously to support disaster recovery in Puerto Rico. We are focused on providing support to local farmers. Most farms do not have crop insurance and have already lost much or all of their crop production to the devastating floods. Immediate work is necessary to clear the damage and begin the hard work of planting anew.

Fiona made landfall just days after the anniversary of deadly Hurricane Maria, and exactly on the anniversary of Hurricane Hugo. We have been working in Puerto Rico for 15 years, building sustainable agriculture practices and assisting with disaster relief. Immediate recovery funds are needed today, for this list of urgent supplies and to support ongoing recovery efforts in the days and weeks to come.