Mercado Agrícola
Agricultura Local
Comunidad Autogestionada
Seguridad Alimentaria
What we do
The Aguadilla Farmers Market (Mercado Agrícola de Aguadilla) is a community-run, volunteer-operated farmers market and one of the most recognized agricultural markets in Puerto Rico. Founded in 2009, the market has operated continuously for over 15 years, serving the communities of Aguadilla, Isabela, and surrounding municipalities. It is an affiliated Earth Market of the international Slow Food network (since 2021) and a member of the World Farmers Market Coalition (WFMC).
The market operates every Saturday from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and on the last Sunday of every month from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Between 30 and 35 vendors participate weekly, offering fresh produce, value-added foods, and artisanal goods, all held to Slow Food's standards of good, clean, and fair food.
A Community-Governed Market
What makes this market different is how it's governed. There is no owner and no profit motive. The market is run entirely by volunteers and managed by a board of directors that includes the vendors themselves. Decisions (from operations to vendor admissions) are made collectively through open meetings and voting. It is a deeply participatory model where every voice counts.
The Alliance's Role
The Alliance for Agriculture serves as the fiscal sponsor of the Aguadilla Farmers Market, providing the institutional structure that allows the market to receive grants and funding from external organizations. Through this partnership, the Alliance currently manages a grant from the Hispanic American Institute (HAI) as part of the USDA AMS Farmers Market Promotion Program, which supports market operations, organizer stipends, and marketing.
Resilience and Adaptation
Over its 15+ years, the market has demonstrated remarkable resilience. After Hurricane María in 2017, the market closed for four months and lost all operating funds. Through community fundraising and the commitment of its organizers, it reopened and waived vendor fees for three months to help farmers recover. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the market adapted by creating a drive-through ordering system that allowed customers to place orders and pick them up safely, keeping over 14 farmers selling throughout the crisis.
Technology for Market Operations
As part of its commitment to strengthening local agricultural markets, the Alliance has developed and provided two technology tools to the Aguadilla Farmers Market:
The Ledger
A financial management application that allows the market to track income, expenses, and budgets, and capture receipt photos for record-keeping. This gives the market's leadership real-time visibility into their financial health.
Market Manager
An application built to streamline market-day operations, including vendor check-ins, attendance tracking, application management, and payment records. This tool brings structure and efficiency to what was previously a manual process.
These tools were designed specifically for the needs of community-run markets and are part of the Alliance's broader effort to bring accessible technology to small-scale agriculture in Puerto Rico.
Historical Videos
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