L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano S outhern Italy, par- t i c u l a r l y t h e regions of Puglia a n d S i c i l y , i s grappling with a mounting agricultural crisis. Recurring droughts, rising temperatures, and diseases such as xylella fastidiosa h a v e r a v a g e d t r a d i t i o n a l crops like olives, grapes, and citrus fruits. The situation has reached such extremes that cities like Agrigento — which is this year's Italian Capital of Culture — have faced water shortages severe enough to deter tourism. To face this challenge, an unconventional yet promising solution has emerged: the cultivation of opuntia ficus-indica, com- monly known as the prickly pear. C l i m a t e c h a n g e a n d agricultural challenges in the South Over the past few decades, southern Italy has experi- e n c e d s i g n i f i c a n t c l i m a t e shifts, with the decline in annual rainfall and higher average temperatures having placed traditional farming methods under strain. Stud- i e s h a v e h i g h l i g h t e d t h e extent of this issue: Sicily, for instance, has seen its natural water reserves dwindle, exac- erbating difficulties for farm- e r s r e l i a n t o n i r r i g a t i o n . Fields of grain have withered, and livestock pastures have become barren, resulting in billions of euros in losses. These adverse conditions are made worse by xylella, a bac- t e r i a l d i s e a s e s p r e a d b y insects, which has devastated olive trees across another r e g i o n o f t h e M e r i d i o n e , Puglia, where it is estimated that the disease has destroyed 100,000 hectares of olive groves, leaving only 30,000 hectares viable for replanting. A very bleak outlook, where t h e h u m b l e p r i c k l y p e a r , however, may become a ray of hope. The rise of the prickly pear in Italy Prickly pear, or fico d'In- dia as it's known in Italy, is native to the deserts of North a n d S o u t h A m e r i c a b u t thrives in arid climates like southern Italy. Requiring ten times less water than maize, this hardy plant has gained recognition as a sustainable alternative for agriculture in water-scarce regions. It is very versatile, as it can be used as food, but also to pro- d u c e b i o f u e l s , r e a s o n f o r w h i c h i t s c u l t i v a t i o n i s expanding globally. In an article published by Reuters, Andrea Ortenzi, founder of the Puglia-based startup Wakonda , high- lighted the immense poten- tial of prickly pears, particu- l a r l y i n a r e a s r a v a g e d b y xylella. Ortenzi, a former t e l e c o m s e x e c u t i v e , f i r s t encountered the crop's utility in Brazil, where it is widely used as animal feed. Inspired by this, he launched Wakon- da in 2021 alongside four col- l e a g u e s , b u y i n g l a n d t o experiment with the crop. However, Wakonda is dif- ferent from our traditional prickly pear cultivations: u n l i k e t h e m , w h i c h o f t e n focus on prickly pear fruits, the company emphasizes the plant's cladodes, or prickly pads, which are processed into products like a low-calo- rie energy drink, flour for the food industry, and high-pro- tein animal feed. According to Ortenzi, this circular pro- duction system even uses waste material to generate methane gas for biofuel. "We discard the fruit and focus instead on the prickly pads," Ortenzi explained in the Reuters interview, in a strategy that fits into Wakon- da's ecological and sustain- able business model, aimed at maximizing utility while minimizing waste. Wakonda has ambitious plans to scale its operations: although it currently culti- vates just 10 hectares, Orten- zi envisions expanding to 3 0 0 h e c t a r e s b y 2 0 2 5 . B e y o n d W a k o n d a - o w n e d land, the company is encour- aging local farmers to adopt prickly pear farming through a l i c e n s i n g m o d e l . T h i s approach ensures farmers retain ownership of their l a n d w h i l e r e c e i v i n g t h e e q u i p m e n t a n d e x p e r t i s e needed to grow and process the crop. Ortenzi guarantees to buy their output for at least 15 years, offering farm- ers a secure revenue stream. A global perspective The prickly pear's poten- tial extends beyond southern Italy. "As an industry, cactus pear production is growing rather quickly, especially for fodder use and as a source of biofuel," Makiko Taguchi, an agricultural officer at the United Nations' Food and A g r i c u l t u r e O r g a n i s a t i o n (FAO), said to Reuters. Globally, countries like Tunisia, Mexico, and Brazil have embraced the crop for its adaptability and economic potential. In Tunisia, it cov- ers around 12% of cultivated l a n d , p r o v i d i n g a c r u c i a l income source for many, par- ticularly women. Mexico uses the cactus to produce plant- b a s e d l e a t h e r , w h i c h h a s drawn interest from brands l i k e A d i d a s a n d T o y o t a . M e a n w h i l e , i n P e r u a n d Chile, the plant is used to extract cochineal dye, a nat- ural red pigment for cosmet- ics and food products. H i s t o r i c a l a n d c u l i - nary significance of the p r i c k l y p e a r i n I t a l y ' s South Though its modern appli- cations are innovative, the prickly pear has deep histori- cal roots in southern Italy: introduced to Europe after the Columbian exchange, the plant adapted seamlessly to Mediterranean conditions and, over time, it became a staple of Southern cuisine, especially Sicilian. Its sweet, c o l o r f u l f r u i t f e a t u r e s i n d e s s e r t s , j a m s , a n d e v e n liquors like the traditional r o s o l i o . T h e c a c t u s p a d s , once a wartime necessity, are now prized ingredients in dishes like cladode parmi- giana. A model for resilience As climate change contin- ues to reshape agriculture, t h e p r i c k l y p e a r o f f e r s a model of resilience and inno- vation: Wakonda's efforts exemplify how sustainable practices can revitalize aban- doned land while providing farmers with economic secu- rity. Ortenzi estimates that of the 70,000 hectares of olive groves destroyed by Xylella in Puglia, much of it could be converted to prickly pear cul- tivation. Beyond that, more than a million hectares of arable land in Italy remain abandoned due to climate challenges, presenting signif- icant expansion opportuni- ties. The growing popularity of the prickly pear underscores the need for adaptive solu- tions to modern agricultural challenges. By integrating historical knowledge with modern technology, southern Italy may find a path forward in this resilient, multi-pur- pose plant. Plus, prickly pear cultivation could be a way for many farmers to thrive again, as Ortenzi explains: "The land remains theirs; they convert it to prickly pears, and I guarantee to buy all their output." A model rooted in collaboration and sustain- ability, which could well be the key to preserving Italy's agricultural heritage while securing its future. GIULIA FRANCESCHINI Prickly pears: a resilient answer to Southern Italy's agricultural crisis Prickly pears for sale (Photo: Annatomalskax/Dreamstime) LIFESTYLE PEOPLE FOOD ARTS ADVICE

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