In a setting more akin to the Tropics than Europe, fields of mango and avocado trees, punctuated by palm trees, stretch out between the volcano and the glistening Mediterranean Sea.
He had just finished a law degree, but the 39-year-old decided to plant some avocados - and now farms a range of exotic fruits. The producers set up a website to sell direct to consumers, sending fruit around Italy but also across Europe.In the late summer heat, the mango harvest is in full swing. Carla Cassaniti walks through her farm with a pair of pruning shears in hand, picking fruit off the trees one by one.
This year has also been a scorcher. The average temperature in the first seven months was 0.67 degrees higher than the historic average, according to the National Research Council. "Consuming a local product has a lower carbon footprint," for example compared to bananas from Brazil, she said.An overview of the challenges and opportunities of the climate crisis, as it changes the world we know.Prices are currently higher for exotic fruits than for oranges and lemons but the yield per hectare is lower.