The Climate Justice and Food Security Fund invests in women farmers who are leading the sustainability and food security movement by providing funds for their agricultural efforts and technical support to strengthen their alliances. This is how we multiply the impact of the growing network of women farmers.

Food security in Puerto Rico is compromised due to policies related to production and distribution, climate change, and natural disasters, as became evident after hurricanes Irma and María. Our dependence on food imports, which amount to approximately 85% of the food we eat, is a threat to food security across the archipelago. For this reason, in recent years the people who farm the land and their community leaders have been promoting the production of local food and its accessibility to all.

We are aware of the challenges Puerto Rico is facing with respect to food security. We especially recognize the challenges faced by women farmers due to climate change and its effect on the structural stability needed to produce healthy food and provide access to those products in the community.

Women in rural areas of Puerto Rico have traditionally maintained vegetable gardens and small farms to provide their families with healthy food and generate additional income. However, this practice has not significantly increased income for these families, nor has it created more employment opportunities, produced nutritional gains for the whole community, or advanced their overall health. By providing the needed acompañamiento, we support women farmers in maximizing their efforts, for their own economic development as well as that of their communities.