In the face of climate change, heroic viticulture is based on a blend of tradition and science.

Milan, July 14th. (askanews) — “The key to success lies in combining the traditional knowledge of winemakers with innovation and scientific rigor. In this way, the grower can optimize investments for a more efficient, sustainable and safe agronomic landscape: a win-win alliance to meet these various natural and human challenges.” This was supported by researchers from the Department of Territorial Systems and Agroforestry (Tesaf) of the University of Padua in the article “Environmental and Socio-economic Challenges of Champion Viticulture in an Evolving Climate” published in the scientific journal “iScience”.

“From the point of view of climate, there are currently two major challenges due to the intensification of the hydrological cycle: heavy rainfall and drought. On the one hand, heavy and local rains can cause severe erosion of agricultural soils and cause landslides on terraced slopes. On the other hand, the persistence of drought conditions The harsh conditions (2022 was a harsh year from this point of view) creates unprecedented problems in terms of water management “explain the researchers of the team led by Professor Paolo Taroli, recalling that” the last year has been marked by half a century of mass exodus from the countryside and gradual abandonment of mountain landscapes. The generations Al Jadeeda – and it continues – is not willing to continue to operate in harsh conditions if the economic benefits are not satisfactory enough and if no clear and tangible societal political action is taken to support them. So what can be done to protect the vineyards and unique cultural landscapes, made up of people and traditions, that are today endangered by climate change? First of all, it is necessary to intervene in the territory for a better and more sustainable management of the water resource, “also by offering practical guidelines such as, for example, the implementation of small reservoirs, able to act in case of extreme precipitation (runoff lamination, flood mitigation) or lack of water (reuse of collected rainwater for emergency irrigation.) Moreover, the Tesaf scientists report that new remote sensing technologies make it possible to “digitize” cultivated slopes with very high accuracy, allowing to simulate precipitation and water flows in vineyards And guide business design from the perspective of accuracy.
Finally, the study stresses the importance of networking between scientists, farms, trade associations, local authorities, consumers and policy makers in order to better understand problems and seek mitigation solutions. Hence the importance of educating new generations on these issues, rediscovering the past and looking to the future, or “education as an essential tool for the survival of cultural scenes”.

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