4 thoughts on “UPRM Course Announcement: Agroclimatology”
Dear Dr. Harmsen:
Greetings from Tennessee, and thanks for forwarding the announcement of the UPRM course on “Agroclimatology”. It is an important subject that is not well known by many folks in science and agriculture. I hope in the future the course sessions will be available via the web or through a program like Zoom, since I would be interested in following it.
Related to the subject of agriculture and climate, in the group “Geografía de Puerto Rico” (which I publish in Facebook) a recent topic has been the so called “soberanía alimentaria” in PR. A group of folks members of the Facebook community, supported by a couple of “alcaldes”, are preaching that this independence on food production is feasible (the claim that PR could produce all the food it consumes instead of importing 85 % as present). I am in disagreement, unless the population were to be reduced to the level of 1900, supported by data from several sources. To finalize that series of articles, I am trying to estimate the maximum number of “cuerdas” in PR that could be cultivated, taking into account reductions by areas if protected lands; areas subject to flooding; urban sectors; and any other general activity that prevents farming. Still some work to do related to the map of hydrologic groups from NRCS.
I was wondering if you have calculated and/or published an estimate of the maximum area in PR that could be cultivated and dedicated to cattle and other beef sources. I am not trying to fight the dreamers that postulate that 100 % independence of food supplies is feasible, but to educate them to the reality of the limitations imposed by the urban developments, conservation reservations, floods, slopes, infiltration of runoff and feasible maximum areas that could be farmed. Please let me know if you have published any estimates on this subject and thanks.
Dear Ferdinand,
Greetings! Sorry for the delayed response, but I just saw your comment regarding the agricultural potential for each zone. I suggest you check out the NRCS Web Soil Survey. It provides information on soil capabilities and limitations for agriculture. It is presented in a GIS format so you could possibly evaluate “zones” for their ag potential; however, because the soils are so varied throughout PR, any given zone (e.g. South Coast) will have varying potential throughout the zone. Good luck.
PRAGWATER 
Dear Dr. Harmsen:
Greetings from Tennessee, and thanks for forwarding the announcement of the UPRM course on “Agroclimatology”. It is an important subject that is not well known by many folks in science and agriculture. I hope in the future the course sessions will be available via the web or through a program like Zoom, since I would be interested in following it.
Related to the subject of agriculture and climate, in the group “Geografía de Puerto Rico” (which I publish in Facebook) a recent topic has been the so called “soberanía alimentaria” in PR. A group of folks members of the Facebook community, supported by a couple of “alcaldes”, are preaching that this independence on food production is feasible (the claim that PR could produce all the food it consumes instead of importing 85 % as present). I am in disagreement, unless the population were to be reduced to the level of 1900, supported by data from several sources. To finalize that series of articles, I am trying to estimate the maximum number of “cuerdas” in PR that could be cultivated, taking into account reductions by areas if protected lands; areas subject to flooding; urban sectors; and any other general activity that prevents farming. Still some work to do related to the map of hydrologic groups from NRCS.
I was wondering if you have calculated and/or published an estimate of the maximum area in PR that could be cultivated and dedicated to cattle and other beef sources. I am not trying to fight the dreamers that postulate that 100 % independence of food supplies is feasible, but to educate them to the reality of the limitations imposed by the urban developments, conservation reservations, floods, slopes, infiltration of runoff and feasible maximum areas that could be farmed. Please let me know if you have published any estimates on this subject and thanks.
Cordially,
Ferdinand Quiñones fquinon@msn.com 615-509-4078
I forgot to ask your opinion of the agricultural potential of each zone.
Dear Ferdinand,
Greetings! Sorry for the delayed response, but I just saw your comment regarding the agricultural potential for each zone. I suggest you check out the NRCS Web Soil Survey. It provides information on soil capabilities and limitations for agriculture. It is presented in a GIS format so you could possibly evaluate “zones” for their ag potential; however, because the soils are so varied throughout PR, any given zone (e.g. South Coast) will have varying potential throughout the zone. Good luck.
Thanks, got it.
Ferdinand Quiñones ________________________________