Transformation of Sicilian agriculture: from citrus and olives to mangoes and papayas.

The hills of Sicily, famous for their citrus and olive groves, are being transformed into a more tropical landscape due to climate change. Alterations in climatic conditions have led several Sicilian farmers to adapt, growing exotic fruits such as mangoes, avocados, bananas and papayas. This change heralds a new era in Italian agriculture, with Sicily leading the way in adapting to the emerging tropical climate in Europe.

 

In Messina, the average temperature has risen by two degrees in the last 50 years. One local farmer says he has replaced his lemon and olive crops with mangoes, avocados and papayas to cope with the new climatic conditions. In recent years, extreme weather has reduced olive oil production, and grape vines are increasingly at risk from drought and forest fires.

 

To address these challenges, scientists are researching climate-resilient crop varieties capable of thriving in warmer and drier conditions. In addition, desertification threatens approximately 70 per cent of Sicily, due to rising temperatures, water scarcity and soil degradation. ‘It's like having third-degree burns on 70% of our body. Such a situation would be fatal for a human being,’ says Professor Christian Mulder of the University of Catania. Innovative fertilisers are also being developed for drought-affected areas.