Sustainable agriculture in Sicily
World Food System Center alumni recently organized a 5-day field trip to Sicily to visit and talk with different organic farmers. The alumni experienced firsthand the supply chain of traditional crops, from planting to markets.
In September 2022, members of the World Food System Center alumni organized a 5-day field trip to Sicily to visit and talk with different producers from a cooperative of organic farmers called Valdibella. It was possible to experience firsthand how traditional crops are planted, harvested, processed, stored, distributed, and marketed in the region, as well as the challenges along the supply chain.
Valdibella, located in the heart of the island, aims to cultivate the land in an environmentally and socially respectful manner, where strong human relationships are built. Preserving biodiversity and ancient crops are core to their principles. On the four farms visited, the participants had the chance to hear the producers’ motivations to work in organic agriculture, the social and climate change challenges in their area, try some of the products that they grow, and to hear their stories. Olive trees, almonds, grapes, wheat, aromatic herbs, artichokes, and lentils are only some of the products that are grown on their lands. A sensory tasting in Valdibella’s processing plant was a highlight, as well as a tour of their wine production facility.
A visit to the “Food Forest” in Partinico was also part of the program. This project aims to revive a land that was confiscated from the mafia to create an agroforestry system capable of producing food while at the same time integrating disadvantaged people. A workshop was held as part of the visit to learn more about the various components of the food forest. The future vision and issues like challenges and room for improvement were discussed.
Besides those visits, the alumni had the opportunity to discuss with the founders of three local initiatives that promote sustainable agriculture: Permaculture Alive, Aterraterra, and Thar dö Ling.
“With more young people interested in participating in the change process towards making the food system better, there is hope.”WFSC Alumni
The main impressions about agriculture in Sicily
For the participants, it was very inspiring to learn that so many initiatives for sustainable agriculture are taking place in Sicily, and especially that they are working so well. Among the visited farmers, one of the biggest motivations to grow organic food seemed to be the desire to offer healthy products to their families and to general consumers. Also, a key element for success, especially in times of economical difficulties, is the support network that the cooperative offers.
The farmers are committed to providing high-quality products, which is one of Valdibella’s principles. Crop diversification is extremely important economically at the farm (with different crops) and cooperative level (a variety of final products, an agroecology school, and agrotourism). Considering climate change and the difficulties it poses for agriculture, using traditional crops can be a great asset for resilience against extreme weather conditions.
Concerning challenges, another bottleneck that threatens sustainability is the cooperative's aging workforce (farmers). Since the local people are not their main customers, exporting the produce seems to defeat the concept of "local," unless this is defined by the neighboring countries, but they need to diversify their income sources to keep working.
Most of the participants perceived water availability, storage, and the dryness of the soil in the region as the main challenges for farming. Overall, many of the alumni were inspired by the magnitude of the agricultural system being implemented in Sicily and expressed a desire to apply some of the concepts they had learned in their own contexts. With more young people interested in participating in the change process towards making the food system better, there is hope.
Read more about the World Food System Center Alumni Network
Learn more about the group of AgriFood Generation: external page https://www.agrifoodgeneration.com/