By Wilson Rivera González, President of PRABIA
Thirty years ago—when climate change was barely entering public conversation—a group of professionals in Puerto Rico already sensed that agriculture would need to adapt. Not just to withstand the blows of a changing climate, but to feed a growing world. That instinct, paired with the will to do things differently, brought several agricultural biotechnology companies together. From that union, the Puerto Rico Agricultural Biotechnology Industry Association (PRABIA) was born—a scientific community that chose collaboration over competition.
Since then, despite many storms—some literal, others economic—we have continued sowing knowledge with commitment and vision. With every agricultural cycle and research project, we search for answers to the challenges of both climate and market.
While Puerto Rico doesn’t produce food at a large-scale agricultural level, it does cultivate innovation. Here, we develop resilient, climate-adapted seeds capable of thriving where other crops fail. These seeds are the result of years of research, teamwork, and a steadfast vision for sustainability and regional development. It’s work that often happens out of sight, but it is essential. Each breakthrough brings us closer to a more resilient, inclusive agriculture with a greater positive impact worldwide. What we plant today will lay the foundation for safer food and a stronger economy for generations to come.
The island’s southern region—with its rich agricultural history—has played a key role in this transformation. In partnership with universities, schools, and local communities, we invest in homegrown talent, convinced that knowledge and passion for the land already live within our people. Through training, workshops, and collaborative projects, we have supported young people, farmers, and community leaders in their growth, empowering them to lead a new agricultural model—one that blends science, sustainability, and culture, transforming the countryside into a space of innovation and shared pride.
Today we celebrate connections: between science and soil; between industry and community; between generations who believe the countryside is also a place for the future. Thirty years on, our conviction remains: Puerto Rico will continue to lead in agricultural biotechnology. And if there’s one lesson this journey has taught us, it’s that when you sow together, you harvest far more than crops. The work is only beginning, and there is still so much left to grow—together.