Agriculture in Sicily is changing its face: mango and avocado are the new fruits of Southern Italy. Traditional crops such as citrus fruits, prickly pears, vineyards, olive trees, cereals, and ancient grains must contend with global warming and the extreme events it brings, drought and water scarcity, even the emergence of pests unknown until a few years ago.
The centuries-old agricultural tradition of the island, the cradle of Mediterranean biodiversity, is searching for a path toward diversification. With an increasingly tropical climate—hot in the summer and spring months, almost without rain or frost, and mild temperatures in autumn and winter—exotic fruits are gaining ground, particularly mango.
