US declares drought disaster for parts of Puerto Rico after driest July on record

The U.S. government has declared a drought disaster for 26 municipalities in Puerto Rico, as the U.S. Caribbean territory grapples with deepening water woes and no immediate relief in sight. July marked the driest month on record for San Juan in over 120 years, and the second hottest for the island's capital, intensifying drought conditions. More than 33% of Puerto Rico is currently under extreme drought, with another 30% experiencing severe drought.

Governor Jenniffer González had formally requested the declaration from the U.S. Department of Agriculture more than two weeks prior. "From the very beginning, we made clear the needs of our farmers," she stated. The disaster declaration specifically enables farmers and agricultural producers in the affected regions to access emergency loans.

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From the very beginning, we made clear the needs of our farmers.

"This is an important step," said Puerto Rico Agriculture Secretary Irving Rodríguez, urging affected producers to document their losses. Naia Seda, a farmer cultivating avocados, plantains, lemons, and cassava on her 15-acre farm, anxiously awaits access to financial aid. She has not seen rain since April, and deep cracks now crisscross her land, a sight she has "never seen something like this on my farm."

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This is an important step.

Seda described her crops withering and fruits dropping prematurely due to the relentless heat. The irrigation canal that supplies her farm and 300 others in Lajas, a southwestern municipality, has seen its water supply reduced from three times a week in June to once a week. Fello Pérez, a technical assistance provider for RAFI, noted that many farmers halted production as early as May. Hydroponic and soil-based vegetable farmers, as well as those cultivating fruits like coffee, cacao, plantains, and bananas, are severely impacted. Even livestock breeders face challenges feeding their animals, with some forced to sell young bulls at drastically reduced prices, though buyers are scarce.

Farmers have been losing money since May, with some resorting to other work to survive. In late July, Puerto Rico's governor declared a state of emergency due to the persistent dry conditions and activated the National Guard.

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I've never seen something like this on my farm.