Climate change is transforming Sicily's traditional hills, known for their citrus and olive trees, into a more tropical landscape. Variations in weather patterns have led some Sicilian farmers to start growing exotic fruits such as mangoes, avocados, bananas, and papayas. This change heralds a new era in Italian agriculture, with Sicily at the forefront of adaptation to the emerging tropical climate in Europe.
The average temperature in Messina has increased by two degrees in the last 50 years. Pietro Coccia, a local farmer, has changed his lemon and olive crops for mango, avocado, and papayas to adapt to the new climatic conditions. In recent years, extreme weather has led to a decline in olive oil production, and wine grape cultivation is increasingly threatened by drought and wildfires.
To face these challenges, scientists study climate-resistant crop varieties capable of withstanding warmer and drier conditions. The threat of desertification, caused by the increase in temperature, lack of water, and soil degradation, affects approximately 70% of the territory of Sicily. "It's as if a person suffered third-degree burns on 70% of the body. That would be deadly for a human being," stated Professor Christian Mulder, from the University of Catania (Italy). Researchers are also developing innovative fertilizers for drought-affected areas.
Source: nationalgeographic.es