After working for two years on the economic revitalization of the coffee industry in Puerto Rico, local nonprofits ConPRmetidos and PROCAFE are jumpstarting phase two of their "Proyecto de la Montana" (mountain region project). The project aims to diversify the coffee farmer's sources of income by distributing 800 plantain seeds to 70 coffee farmers. The ultimate goal is to have a social and economic impact of 1.6 million dollars.
Nearly 85% of the island's coffee farms were destroyed after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. This resulted in an estimated loss of $75 million and 18 million coffee trees, causing the biggest damage to the industry's infrastructure in 100 years. In 2018, non-profits ConPRmetidos and Unidos por Puerto Rico gave a grant of $612,845 to PROCAFE, the now leading organization of Puerto Rican coffee farmers. With that grant, 750,000 coffee trees were distributed to 500 Puerto Rican coffee farming families.
Coffee trees can take up to 3-5 years to grow. PROCAFE and ConPRmetidos want to distribute 800 plantain seedlings and harvesting materials to 70 small coffee farmers. The goal is to provide the farmers with an alternative source of income; increasing their economic sustainability while they wait for their coffee to grow. Plantain trees also increase the resiliency of the region by providing crops with shade and wind protection during storms and hurricane season.
This project will have an impact of 1.6 million dollars in the economy of Puerto Rico through the next two years.
