Iván tends to two fairly attractive potato fields in El Sobradillo, a locality situated in the southwestern part of Santa Cruz. This area has been regarded for many years, with El Tablero at its centre, as the larder of the capital. He was on the verge of harvesting one of his crops last December when Storm Dorothea’s winds struck, leaving them “bare to the stem.” Although he managed to salvage a portion from one field, he suffered a loss of 75% of the yield. This was a devastating blow after enduring a year of relentless drought in the midlands of Tenerife, which has been under a water emergency since May 2024. This serves as a clear illustration of the urgent need for initiatives like the Potato Island Plan that was introduced recently.
