Rehabilitation and Reuse of Rural Farms in a Region of Inner Sicily

Abstract

The rural landscape of inner Sicily has peculiar characteristics, deeply different from the ones of coastal Sicily, marked by the presence of citrus orchards, vineyards, and greenhouses. Inner Sicily was traditionally dominated by cereal latifundia. With low level cities (the main ones are all concentrated along the coasts), in the past a central role in the agrarian economy of this inland region was played by rural farms, called “masserie”. In the second half of the 20th century, the national agrarian reform opened the doors to profound changes. The inland areas were suddenly abandoned, while many coastal centres reported a significant population growth. The rural farms of inner Sicily were abandoned and bound to decay. In the last years, some of these “masserie” have been restored. They are of course an important resource that has to be exploited to generate richness. The chapter presents the experience of the territory of Aidone, rich in farms and resources.