As most crises create predicaments for a community, they simultaneously shine a glaring light on the glitches already existing. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is occurring across numerous local and global systems. 

As the stoppage in the economy worsens food insecurity worldwide, a territory such as Puerto Rico, that strongly imports reliant could be in terrible straits. Primarily, according to the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture, in 2012, 89 percent of food in this territory was imported.

Nevertheless, Francisco Tirado, CEO, and co-founder of PRoduce, an online produce marketplace, which exclusively buys produce from local artisans and farmers, is hoping the percentage and situation will change.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the top priority is to "buy back up to 90 percent of imports as harvests for the island." Relatively, Francisco says, his two-year-old business aims to do this by collaborating with the local farmers.

Before the Pandemic

Before the pandemic, produce had 300 subscriptions from customers. However, in the last four to six weeks, the figures rose to 1,400 via its app. Francisco said they think the whole COVID-19 crisis is going to cut short the extent where people are getting their food.

He added, they also believe that anywhere in the world, "would be a 100-mile radius." Suitably, the co-founder explained, Puerto Rico is about a hundred miles. Therefore, this, he shared, is such high testing to see how this occurs.

Located in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, KYV Farm del Caribe owner, and a local farmer, Francisco Arroyo has been regularly selling his harvests to PRoduce since 2018. Harvesting from a 100-acre farm, he can harvest from 30 to 35 crops.

And, since this COVID-19 lockdown started in Puerto Rico on March 15, there has been an increase three times, in the farm's orders. Meaning, the equivalent amount he used to sell in one month, he is currently selling in just one week.

According to Arroyo, they can produce as much food as they want. He added, "It is a matter of choice." When it comes to the farmers' role, he explained, if there is a situation where they cannot import food, "Puerto Rico is going to Collapse."

Therefore, this is the perfect time to depend on the farmers to begin relationships with markets and attempt to break the reliance they've had on the present food system.

The New Normal?

Tirado's sister, Laura Tirado, the CEO and co-founder of UVA, applied to her business's new standard as soon as the lockdown in Puerto Rico was announced. Before the news of COVID-19 hitting the US, UVA was said to be making 400 food deliveries each day to "customers from local restaurants.

At present, the startup is delivering to 1,800 customers on average. Laura is attributing this to the fact that usually, it takes the majority of the supermarkets up to two weeks to cater to their customers' orders. At the same time, they, at UVA, can deliver the orders on the same day they are made.

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