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Puerto Rico’s location in the Atlantic Hurricane belt makes it ​susceptible to disturbances such as hurricanes and storms, ​which can have detrimental effects on its social-ecological-​technological systems (McGinley et al., 2022). This includes ​threats to food security, home safety, human health, well-being, ​and local economies. Inconsistent and ineffective maintenance ​and mitigation of public infrastructure and systems and their ​exposure to climate extremes have resulted in long and ​frequent interruptions of essential services and daily activities ​in Puerto Rico (Taylor et al., 2012). Due to climate change ​effects, hurricane and tropical storm frequency and severity are ​expected to intensify with time (Bhatia et al., 2019), ​underscoring the need for effective mitigation and adaptation ​practices and strategies throughout the region.

Hurricane Fiona passed over Puerto Rico on September 18, ​2022 as a category one hurricane based on the Simpson-Saffir ​scale, destroying 90% of commercial crops in Puerto Rico ​(Pasch et al., 2023). Agricultural lands' vulnerability to hurricane ​disturbances and associated strategies to mitigate impacts ​remain understudied, particularly in the tropics (Wiener et al., ​2020). To fill this gap, we assessed the effects of Hurricane ​Fiona in plantain and banana plantations in Puerto Rico and the ​associated challenges faced by farmers. We also examined the ​effectiveness of adaptation and mitigation strategies used in ​farm systems for plantain and banana plantations. Results ​obtained in this study shed light on hurricane vulnerabilities in ​the agricultural sectors and means to mitigate the risks of ​future events toward more resillient communities.

Figure 1. Doppler radar Photograph of Hurricane Fiona over Puerto Rico (Image by ​National Weather Service, 2022).

Figure 2. Plantain plantations in Yauco flooded after Hurricane Fiona (Photo by ​Telemundo, 2022).

A survey instrument and semistructured interview guide were ​created to answer the three main questions of this ​investigation: (1) what were the social-ecological effects and ​challenges of hurricane Fiona on plantain and banana ​plantations according to reports by extension agents and ​advisors? (2) what mitigation strategies were used to reduce ​risks?, and (3) what was the perception of the effectiveness of ​the strategies for plantain and banana plantations? The survey ​instrument included Likert-scale and open-ended questions. It ​was administered to public-sector land and agricultural ​management advisors from different federal goverment ​agencies, extension and non-profit organizations. Seven of the ​fifteen surveyed participants were also interviewed to explore ​hurricane hazards and mitigation strategies based on their ​expertise, experiences, and availability. The survey participants ​were recruited using a snowball sampling design, starting with ​two key informants from public sector agencies who provide ​advisory services and assistance.

Participants surveyed and ​interviewed

Participants surveyed

Monetary Losses for plantain and banana plantations

Hurricane Fiona’s total losses in the agricultural sector were $150 ​million; 74% of which were from plantain and banana crops ​(Office of Agricultural Statistics, 2023). In contrast, hurricane ​María, which was a category four hurricane when it passed ​through Puerto Rico in September 2017, resulted in total losses ​of $59 million for plantain and banana (Office of Agricultural ​Statistics, 2018), 53% less than hurricane Fiona’s, indicating a ​significant difference in total losses associated with these two ​events. Most of the losses associated with hurricane Fiona were ​centered in the west-central and south regions.

Agricultural Region

Figure 3. Monetary losses associated with hurricanes Fiona vs. María based by agricultural regions as documented in the ​SEPA preliminary report administered by the Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico Office of Agricultural Statistics ( ​2023). p-values= <0.05, two-tailed t-test= 0.9 and df=11

Agricultural Region

Figure 4. Monetary losses associated with hurricanes Fiona vs. María based by agricultural regions as documented in the ​SEPA preliminary report administered by the Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico Office of Agricultural Statistics ( ​2023). p-values= <0.05, two-tailed t-test= 0.9 and df=11

Associated impacts for plantain and banana

The main/primary impacts attributed to hurricane Fiona reported by ​research respondents were flooding from river growth (Mean= 4.80, ​SD= 0.56), flooding from rain (Mean=4.53, SD= 0.74) strong winds ​(Mean=4.20, SD=0.77) which were considered to have high to ​devastating impacts.

Figure 5. Analyses of differences in hurricane effects on banana and plantain plantations

Mitigation/Recovery Strategies for plantain and ​banana

The main strategies used by farmers, according to advisors, were ​subscription to agricultural insurance programs (Mean=3.50, ​SD=0.70), power generator acquisition (Mean=3.45, SD=0.50), and ​harvest once economic maturity is reached (Mean=3.00, SD=0.74). ​Respondents indicated that approcimately 50% of the farmers ​used this strategies.

Figure 6. Mitigation strategies for hurricane preparedness in the short term used by farmers.

Interviews

During interviews, participants indicated that the most common ​effects from hurricane were associated with water flow through ​farms that left large sediment deposits (frequency=2) and led to ​landslides (f=4). In studies associated with earlier storms, ​farmers reported a lack of emergency plans, information, and ​materials to help or guide them in their recovery process ​following these events (Álvarez-Berríos et al., 2021; McGinley et ​al., 2022). Farmers' preparedness and recovery processes ​following Fiona were more effective than those for previous ​events (f=7), showing an improvement towards hurricane ​preparedness. Participants stated (f=5) that to continue the ​development of more resilient plantations towards hurricanes, it ​is important to encourage and educate farmers towards ​practices that conserve the resources available to maximize ​crop production and ecosystem resources.

• Álvarez-Berríos, P. N. L., Wiener, M., S. S., McGinley, P. K. A., ​Lindsey, P. A. B., & Gould, P. W. A. (2021). Hurricane effects, ​mitigation, and preparedness in the Caribbean: Perspectives ​on high importance–low prevalence practices from ​agricultural advisors. Journal of Emergency Management, ​19(8), 135–155. https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.0585
  
• Bhatia, K. T., Vecchi, G. A., Knutson, T. R., Murakami, H., Kossin, ​J., Dixon, K. W., & Whitlock, C. E. (2019). Recent increases in ​tropical cyclone intensification rates. Nature ​Communications, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-​08471-z
  
• McGinley, K. A., Gould, W. A., Álvarez-Berríos, N. L., ​Holupchinski, E., & Díaz- Camacho, T. (2022). READY OR NOT? ​Hurricane preparedness, response, and recovery of farms, ​forests, and rural communities in the U.S. Caribbean. ​International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 82, 103346. ​https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103346
  
• Oficina de Estadísticas Agrícolas (2023) SEPA Report.
  
• Pasch, R. J., Reinhart, B. J., & Alaka, L. (2023). Fiona as a ​Category 4 Hurricane at 2100 UTC 21 September. Image ​Courtesy of NOAA/NESDIS/STAR.
  
• Taylor, M. A., Stephenson, T. S., Chen, A. A., & Stephenson, K. A. ​(2012). Climate Change and the Caribbean: Review and ​Response. Climate Change and the Caribbean: Review and ​Response Caribbean Studies, 40(2), 169–200. ​http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=39226915007
  
• Wiener, S. S., Álvarez-Berríos, N. L., & Lindsey, A. B. (2020). ​Opportunities and challenges for hurricane resilience on ​agricultural and forest land in the U.S. Southeast and ​Caribbean. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(4). ​https://doi.org/10.3390/su12041364