Tropical Sicily
Sicily’s climate has changed so much that farmer Francesco Verri now grows mangoes, whereas his ancestors once only grew olives and lemons. Over the last 30 years, temperatures on this Italian island have risen by 2°C, making it warm enough to grow tropical fruits that were once impossible to cultivate here. Besides mangoes, farmers are successfully growing papayas, passion fruit, and bananas alongside Sicily’s traditional Mediterranean crops. This shift shows how farmers are adapting to climate change, turning warmer temperatures into an opportunity to grow new kinds of food in what was once strictly Mediterranean farmland.