In Puerto Rico, our lives changed after hurricane María in September 2017. Now we mark off our history by saying “before María” and “after María.” But the “after María” made us reconsider, rethink, and identify new opportunities as a result of the adversity brought by this atmospheric event.
A new opportunity arose because we live on an island where the vast majority of food is imported. It is essential to create and develop a short- and long-term self-sustaining food system. A year-round system that works, comprises the entire population, and in times of emergency, we would be able to feed ourselves. In summary, a resilient system.
Thus, after hurricane María, the famous Spanish Chef José Andrés came to Puerto Rico through his foundation World Central Kitchen as part of our foreign aid. This non-profit organization has helped to distribute more than four million food plates in different countries during catastrophic events. Also, the organization has created the program Plow to Plate, which helps local farmers, agribusiness, and community project representatives with financial grants and training.
Click here to read Chef José Andres food change proposal article.
