Barley, Grapevines, Domestic Animals, and People: Changing Agricultural Practices On the Island of Pantelleria, Sicily

Abstract

We explore changes in agricultural practices on Pantelleria, a small volcanic island off Sicily, and connections among humans, barley, grapevines, and animals using anthropological and sociolinguistic approaches. We analyse key features of the decline and recent revitalization of Pantescan agriculture focussing on the intercropping of barley cultivated along elevated ridges between grapevines to protect against strong winds. We also assess the use of equines, including the now-extinct Pantescan donkey, and the role of dried food products, such as viscottu (barley “biscuit”), in food security and easing of women’s household responsibilities, to understand how these legacies affect today’s agricultural practices and Pantescans’ values. We conclude that human and non-human connectedness, and farmers’ knowledge of micro topo-climatic management, including land shaping, may contribute to the formulation of agricultural strategies in a context of environmental and societal crisis.