Agriculture of Sicily

Sicily is an Italian island located in the central part of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strait of Messina separates the island from the southwestern part of mainland Italy. Sicily is roughly 9,927 square miles (25,711 square kilometers) and is considered the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (Britannica, 2022). Sicily is approximately the same size as the state of Massachusetts.

Sicily is sometimes described as the football (or soccer ball) that is coming off the toe of Italy’s “boot-like” shape.

Sicily has a Mediterranean climate type that is made up of mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Temperatures can range from 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter to 104 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer (Weather Spark, 2022). The annual rainfall varies from 16 inches to 23.5 inches per year. Most of the precipitation occurs during the fall and winter months. The spring and summer months receive little or no rain and are usually very dry. 

The weather patterns differ between the coastal and inland regions. Areas along the coast have milder winters and receive a moderate amount of rain. Summers are mostly sunny and reasonably warm. The interior zones experience fairly cold winters and there usually is snow at the higher elevations. Summer months are typically very hot and dry.

The weather in Sicily is also influenced by the hot Sirocco winds that come from Northern Africa. These winds cause temperatures to rise above 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter months and to exceed 104 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer (Climate – Sicily (Italy), n.d.).

Many different types of soil can be found across Sicily. The soil in the northern part of Sicily is made up of calcareous rocks and sediments mixed with silt and sand. Much of the soil found in the western, southwestern, and central parts of the island consist of sandy loam, calcareous clay, sandstone, and limestone. The volcanic soil found in northeast Sicily comes from Mount Etna and contains pumice, basalt, pebbles, and black ash. There is also volcanic soil in the southeastern part of the island, as well as loam, limestone, and igneous rocks.

Map Legend - E: Soils of Apennine of Calabria and Sicily on igneous and metamorphic rocks (mainly Cambisols and Leptosols); F: Soils of Etna volcano (mainly Leptosols, Cambisols, Regosols and Andosols); G: Soils of the hills of Calabria and Sicily on Tertiary calcareous rocks and sediments, with included alluvial and coastal plains (mainly Cambisols, Vertisols and Luvisols); H: Soils of the hills and mountains on limestone and igneous rocks of Sicily (mainly Cambisols, Leptosols and Andosols); I: Soils of the hills of Calabria and Sicily on Tertiary clayey flysch, limestone, sandstone, gypsum and coastal plains (mainly Cambisols, Luvisols, Vertisols and Regosols); L: Soils of the alluvial and coastal plains of central and southern Italy (mainly Cambisols, Calcisols, Luvisols and Vertisols) (Fantappie et al., 2014).

The geographical landscape of Sicily includes vast stretches of beaches along the coastal areas and a mix of plains, hills, and mountains in the interior. The island is approximately 15% flat, 25% mountainous, and 60% hilly (Nesto & Savino, 2013).

Many of the unique flavors found in the island's agriculture are created by favorable climate conditions and the fertile volcanic soil. Sicily’s agricultural products have earned over 30 food and 31 wine Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) certifications (Italian Food News, 2018). These designations represent the excellence of European agricultural food production. 

Sicily's wine making history dates back more than 2,500 years. The grapes that make up Sicily’s viticulture include varieties that have been historically cultivated on the island and some newer variations that were brought there more recently (Kavanagh, 2022). Nero d’Avola and Catarratto are the two most important native wine grapes found on the island. Other significant grape varieties include: Frappato, Perricone, and Zibibbo. Several of the wines in Sicily have earned Italy’s top DOC and DOCG status. These classifications certify the wines were produced in a specific area and guarantee their high quality. 

Click on the pins below to learn about some of the more notable fruits, vegetables, nuts, grain, and wines found in Sicily.

Orange = Fruits - Green = Vegetables - Yellow = Nuts & Grain - Red = Wines

Cows, sheep, goats, and pigs are found throughout Sicily. Much of the livestock is raised for their meat or to produce dairy products. The milk from Modicana cows is turned into an aged cheese known as Caciocavallo Ragusano. Sheep’s milk is used to make Sicilian Pecorino cheese or is combined with saffron to create a flavorful cheese called Piacentinu Ennese (Italian Food News, 2018). Goats in Sicily are bred for their milk, meat, and wool. Nero Siciliano is a breed of pig that is raised to produce salumi, prosciutto, and other types of cured meats.

Sicily has been home to a large fishing industry since the Middle Ages. Tuna, swordfish, sea bass, anchovies, squid, lobster, and shrimp are just some of the different types of seafood caught off the island's shores. Sicily is famous for its sardines, bluefin tuna, and red prawns, also known as Gambero Rosso di Sicilia.

Much like the rest of the world, Sicily is feeling the effects of climate change. The island is experiencing heavier rainfall, higher temperatures, intense heat waves, and an increasing number of consecutive days without rainfall (Levantesi, 2021). Temperatures have increased 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) on average, and it is not uncommon for summer temperatures to exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit. There is concern from the farmers and ranchers about how much the changing temperatures will affect the production of crops, the welfare of animals, and the availability of water in the future.  

Changes in the weather have provided farmers with new opportunities to grow more exotic crops. Some farmers are removing their old plants and introducing new tropical varieties that include avocados, bananas, kiwi, mango, papaya, passion fruit, and pineapple. Local residents wonder how Sicilian cuisine will evolve with the introduction of tropical agriculture to the island.

Farmers like Andrea Passanisi have expanded their agricultural production by adding avocados and limes to the family's farm found on the slopes of Mount Etna. His company, Sicilia Avocado, now exports organic avocados, passion fruit, and finger limes across Europe and China (D’Ignoti, 2018).

The warmer climate has also made it possible for ranchers to raise new breeds of livestock. A small camel farm established by Sicilian veterinarian Santo Fragala is now present near the foothills of Mount Etna (Donati, 2014). He intends to raise the camels for their milk, which will then be used to make cheese and cosmetics that include lotion, bath soap, and shampoo.

Producing coffee in Sicily has been a longtime dream for the Morettino family. After 30 years of trying, their 66 seedlings were able to produce 33 kilograms (almost 73 pounds) of coffee in the Spring of 2021 (Tondo, 2021). Much of their recent success is credited to the rising temperatures. Their coffee plants were able to flourish and become more productive in the warmer weather. Andrea and Arturo Morettino hope to turn Sicily into the northernmost coffee plantation in the world.  

References

Arte Cibo. (n.d.). The tomatoes of Pachino: An overview of Sicily’s sun-grown, lycopene-rich bounty.  https://www.artecibo.com/the-tomatoes-of-pachino 

Bonomo, V. (2018, December 18). The prickly pear cactus: The symbol of the Sicilian landscape. Putia.  https://putia.eu/en/blogs/discovery-sicily/il-fico-d-india-simbolo-e-ricchezza-del-paesaggio-siciliano 

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2022, October 6). Sicily. Encyclopedia Britannica.  https://www.britannica.com/place/Sicily 

Casale, R. (2013, October 18). The Sicilian Caper. Modern Farmer.  https://modernfarmer.com/2013/10/sicilian-caper/ 

Climate – Sicily (Italy). (n.d.) Climates to Travel, World Climate Guide. Retrieved on November 10, 2022, from  https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/italy/sicily 

D’Ignoti, S. (2018, December 21). Facing climate change Sicily’s farmers go tropical. DW.  https://www.dw.com/en/sicilys-farmers-go-tropical-in-the-face-of-climate-change/a-46775174 

Donati, S. (2014, January 27). Camel farm set up in Sicily. Italy Magazine.  https://www.italymagazine.com/featured-story/camel-farm-set-sicily 

Fantappie, M., Priori, S., & Constantini, E. (2014, September 15). Soil erosion risk, Sicilian Region (1:250,000 Scale). Journal of Maps, 11(2), 323-341, DOI:  10.1080/17445647.2014.956349 

Kavanagh, D. (Ed.). (2022, November 3). Sicilian wine. Wine-searcher.  https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-sicilySoil 

Italian Connection. (2021). Arance rosse – Blood oranges from Sicily.  https://italian-connection.com/living-in-italy/arance-rosse-blood-oranges-from-sicily/ 

Italian Food News. (2018, January 5). Sicily, The land of food and treasure.  https://news.italianfood.net/2018/01/05/sicily-land-food-treasure/ 

Levantesi, S. (2021, November 2). Assessing Italy’s climate risk. Nature Italy.  https://www.nature.com/articles/d43978-021-00136-0 

Nesto, B., & di Savino, F. (2013). The world of Sicilian wine. University of California Press.

Oliva Azienda Agricola. (2022, July 16). Extra virgin olive oil from Sicily: Find out the best olive oil varieties.  https://agricolaoliva.it/en/olio-evo-en/extra-virgin-olive-oil-from-sicily-find-out-the-best-olive-oil-varieties%E2%80%A8/ 

Taste Atlas. (2022, May 26). 3 most popular Sicilian lemons.  https://www.tasteatlas.com/most-popular-lemons-in-sicily 

Taste Atlas. (2022, May 26). 4 most popular Italian cherries.  https://www.tasteatlas.com/most-popular-cherries-in-italy 

Tondo, L. (2021, October 25). Climate change and the dream of growing coffee in Sicily. Atlas Obscura.  https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/coffee-beans-from-italy 

Weather Spark. (2022). Climate and Average Weather Year-Round in Sicily. Retrieved on November 10, 2022, from  https://weatherspark.com/y/150410/Average-Weather-in-Sicily-Italy-Year-Round 

Visit Sicily. (2022). The Bronte Pistachio.  https://www.visitsicily.info/en/sapore/the-bronte-pistachio/ 

Visit Sicily. (2022). Ancient grains of Sicily.  https://www.visitsicily.info/en/sapore/ancient-grains-in-sicily/