Smart Ag Puerto Rico

The Smart Ag Puerto Rico project, led by Caribbean Regenerative Community Development (CRCD), will support and empower smallholder coffee and cacao farmers in PR to transition to Climate Smart (CS) practices by directly supporting farmers to implement viable practices on farms, account for GHG-related benefits and other benefits on-farm and throughout the supply chain, and developing a unique Puerto Rican branded climate-smart agriculture label and voluntary program. The project will address barriers to successful uptake of Climate Smart practices in PR’s agricultural sector through creative, collaborative marketing efforts that highlight the social and environmental benefits of sustainably produced coffee and cacao, and help the island fulfill its potential to become a world leader in climate-smart coffee and cacao production.

Implemented practices will help participants transition to Forest Farming practices that provide shade, reduce erosion, farm maintenance and crop stress related to extreme heat and drought. Additionally, CRCD will support participating farmers to apply a high-quality biochar-based fertilizer to reduce reliance on petrochemical inputs while improving fertility, soil microbial health, moisture-retention, and crop yields while permanently sequestering large quantities of carbon-dioxide to produce commodities that fight climate change.

Working with PR’s small landowner coffee and cacao growers to support the adoption of CS practices can lead to an important transition in the larger agricultural sector, building on tremendous market opportunities to help improve the territory’s resiliency, self-sufficiency, and economic health. At the same time, CS practices could reduce the carbon footprint of the industry and potentially advance market opportunities in the United States for PR’s sustainable agricultural products. Our team expects these efforts will improve the territory’s resiliency, self-sufficiency, and economic health through the development of specialized climate-smart coffee and chocolate industries that can be uniquely marketed throughout the United States and serve as a model for sustainable agriculture in PR.

Coffee and Cacao farmers in Puerto Rico that would like to learn more about the project and/or apply to participate can learn more here.