Ancient grains and stone mills, the centuries-old tradition is renewed in Sicily, once known as 'the granary of Europe'. Thanks to the commitment and synergies between the University of Catania and the Simenza Association, which brings together virtuous farmers and processors.
Ancient grains in Italy
By 'ancient grains' are meant those varieties of wheat with historical origin and distinct identity, not subject to genetic evolutions through crossings but locally adapted, thanks to traditional agricultural systems. (1)
Since the early 1900s these dynamic local populations, the result of selection work by farmers, gave way to varieties subject to genetic improvements. With the aim of increasing yields, in a historical period of severe wheat shortages, then more than ever essential to feed the populations. (2)
The genetic improvements have simultaneously enhanced inputs auxiliaries, fertilizers and especially synthetic phytosanitary products. To the appreciable and extraordinary productivity increase have therefore been associated, as 'the other side of the coin', the reduction of biodiversity and the worsening ecological footprint of productions. From then on.
In Italy in 1927 291 wheat varieties were recorded, 98 of which were widely cultivated. Just over forty years later, 250 had already disappeared, that is 86%.
Ancient grains, the rediscovery
In recent years there has been a renewed interest in several local varieties of durum and soft wheat known as 'ancient grains', widely cultivated until the first quarter of the last century (when genetically improved varieties through selections and crossings took over).
The rediscovery of ancient grains is accompanied by an intense debate on their nutritional and health qualities within the agricultural and scientific communities. With wide resonance among the public opinion and consumers, increasingly attentive to the quality and healthiness of food. As well as theintegrity of the supply chains and their rooting in the territories.
The demand has increased so significantly as to stimulate in a few years an exponential increase in cultivated areas. According to an estimate by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the University of Catania, only in Sicily the areas cultivated with ancient grains have quintupled in the last 4 years. Reaching around 6,000 hectares, that is 2% of the total area sown with wheat in Magna Graecia.
Ancient grains, the Sicilian renaissance
In Sicily – thanks to the work of universities, research institutions and ‘guardian’ farmers – the germplasm of about fifty populations of durum and soft wheat has been conserved and recovered, representing part of the cereal biodiversity heritage available until the mid-last century.
These genotypes, although having lower yields compared to ‘modern grains’, present some valuable characteristics of rusticity, resistance to adversities (biotic and abiotic) and nutritional and organoleptic quality of the grain. About 20 varieties have thus been registered, an essential first step to guarantee traceability of the supply chain ‘from seed to table’.
The Sicilian renaissance is one of the objectives of the Simenza Association, founded in 2016 to protect and promote local biodiversity products of agricultural interest. Simenza brings together most producers and processors of Sicilian ancient grains and provides them with agronomic and technical-scientific assistance, as well as representation useful for expressing shared values.
The perspective is to guarantee the integrity of a supply chain that can recover added value thanks to the processing of raw material. Stone milling, the production of pasta, flours and high-quality flour products at zero kilometers as barriers against social desertification of the inner areas of the great island.
Paolo Caruso and Dario Dongo
Notes
(1) The seeds of ancient grains must be maintained in purity by custodian farmers, who have registered them in the conservation species section of the National Biodiversity Register. Their purity maintenance is controlled by CREA
(2) The work of Nazareno Strampelli, one of the pioneers of genetic improvement of herbaceous plants, is famous, who through techniques of breeding he developed about 150 varieties. See http://www.icar.beniculturali.it/biblio/pdf/strampelli/Strampelli_rivoluzione_verde.pdf
Paolo Caruso, agronomist, collaborates with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the University of Catania, Agronomy and Herbaceous Crops section. Researcher on Sicilian ancient grains.
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT – Food Times) and Égalité.
