Black Culinarian Alliance Inc

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** INNOVATION IN AGRICULTURE HAS BECOME A GLOBAL STANDARD IN RECENT YEARS. THIS IS THE RESULT OF FACTORS INCLUDING RISING TEMPERATURES, UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER PATTERNS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, SOCIO-ECONOMIC INEQUALITY, NATURAL DISASTERS, ECONOMIC DISASTERS, AND HALTS IN PRODUCTION FROM PANDEMICS LIKE COVID-19. NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN CROP CULTIVATION INTEGRATED WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY ARE A NECESSITY TO ENSURE FOOD SECURITY FOR THE FUTURE. WE HAVE SELECTED PUERTO RICO FOR THIS BFRDP PROJECT FOR SEVERAL REASONS. IN 2017 HURRICANE MARIA DEVASTATED LARGE PORTIONS OF THE ISLAND, WHICH LED TO LARGE-SCALE FAILURES IN THE PUERTO RICAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVASTATION TO ITS FOOD SYSTEM. SO FAR, PUERTO RICO HAS YET TO FULLY RECOVER FROM THE HAVOC LEFT IN THE HURRICANE'S WAKE. AT ONE TIME PUERTO RICO WAS A LEADER IN GROWING WARM WEATHER CROPS SUCH AS SUGARCANE AND COFFEE. CURRENTLY, 85% OF THEIR FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS ARE IMPORTED, WHILE THE ISLAND IS FACING A 6% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, NEARLY DOUBLING THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. THIS PROGRAM LOOKS AT ADDRESSING THE FOOD SYSTEM BARRIERS FROM A FARMING AND AGRICULTURE AND HAS THE POTENTIAL OF CREATING SUSTAINABLE IMPACT AND ATTRATING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES OVER TIME.