Evaluation of the Environmental Orientation of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) in Puerto Rico (2014–2024)

Abstract

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is the main agricultural conservation program of the USDA–NRCS, yet its role in tropical insular systems remains understudied. This study evaluates the environmental orientation of EQIP in Puerto Rico from 2014 to 2024 using a longitudinal database of funded practices, resource-based classification, spatial analysis, and qualitative validation. Results indicate a consistent concentration of practices and funding in soil and water management, with limited emphasis on biodiversity, vegetation, and energy. Investment is spatially concentrated in areas with greater institutional access to NRCS offices. A notable increase in funding followed Hurricane María (2017), reflecting a response focused on agricultural recovery and vulnerability reduction. Overall, EQIP in Puerto Rico functions primarily as a mechanism for stabilizing productive agroecosystems rather than restoring natural ecosystems, highlighting its role as a hybrid agricultural–environmental policy in socioecological resilience.