San Juan, Puerto Rico – The Trump administration, through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced a federal drought disaster declaration on Wednesday covering 26 of the island’s 78 municipalities. The move comes as more than one‑third of Puerto Rico endures extreme drought and another 30 percent faces severe drought, with July marking the driest month on record for the capital in over 120 years.
Local leaders welcome the aid
Governor Jenniffer González confirmed she formally requested the disaster declaration more than two weeks ago, emphasizing the urgent needs of the island’s agricultural sector. “From the very beginning, we made clear the needs of our farmers,” she said.
Puerto Rico Agriculture Secretary Irving Rodríguez called the declaration “an important step” and urged producers affected by the drought to document their losses to qualify for emergency loans.
Farmers on the front lines
Naia Seda, a farmer in the southwestern municipality of Lajas, is among those preparing to apply for assistance. Seda operates a 15‑acre farm growing avocados, plantains, lemons, cassava and other crops. “I’ve never seen something like this on my farm,” she said, noting that the land has cracked several feet deep after no rain since April.
She previously received irrigation water three times a week, but the supply was reduced to once a week in June, further threatening her harvest.
Widespread impact on agriculture and livestock
Technical assistance provider Fello Pérez, who works with the nonprofit RAFI, reported that hydroponic growers and soil‑based vegetable producers are among the hardest hit. Fruit growers – including coffee, cacao, plantains and bananas – are seeing fruit turn green and drop before ripening. Livestock producers are also suffering; many have been forced to sell young bulls at rock‑bottom prices with few buyers.
Some farmers have had to seek alternative work, such as one who returned to a mechanic job to make ends meet.
State of emergency and water rationing
Governor González declared a state of emergency in late July and activated the National Guard to transport, distribute, and purify water. Early August saw the rollout of water‑rationing measures in San Juan and six other cities, affecting more than 180,000 customers who now face 48‑hour rotating water cuts. Large trucks are delivering water, with priority given to hospitals and senior residences.
Underlying causes and infrastructure challenges
Meteorologists attribute the ongoing drought to the natural warming cycle known as El Niño, which is also affecting the U.S. Virgin Islands. The federal government earlier this month declared a drought disaster for St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix.
Beyond the drought, Puerto Rico continues to grapple with aging water infrastructure. Thousands have endured water shortages and pressure changes for up to a year. In May, San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero sued the island’s Water and Sewer Authority over chronic infrastructure neglect, a concern echoed by the governor.
Historical context
Puerto Rico previously implemented water‑rationing measures in 2020 and 2015, when roughly 400,000 utility customers received water only every third day. The current disaster declaration aims to provide timely financial relief to keep farms operating and to support the island’s broader recovery.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
