The Olivami project to repopulate the fields cleared by xylella
The initiative to reconstitute the green heritage after the devastation that led to the loss of 21 million plants and which also caused an increase in pollution. Simone Chiriatti, one of the creators: “The idea came from tourists who wanted to do something for our territory”
Adopt an olive tree from Salento and taste “your” oil. You will live happier knowing that you will be connected, even from abroad, with a piece of land in Puglia. The initiative, which aims to reconstitute the green heritage after the devastation caused by xylella, was born in Martano (Lecce) in the form of an association that brings together not only agricultural operators from the Grecìa Salentina but extends to the entire provinces of Lecce and Brindisi.
Simone Chiriatti, 29, who takes care of the technology sector of Olivami, a working group set up together with Alessandro Coricciati, olive grower, and the partners who are gradually joining the company to revive the millenary tradition of Salento, talks about it. “I inherited from my father and my grandfather the passion for olive trees – he explains – but it was the tourists who gave us the decisive push, who put us into action. In summer, during the holidays, vacationers from the North, but also Swiss, French and English asked us what they could do to support our battle, indeed a war against this bacterium which is transforming our lands into an expanse of dry and gray trees. A widespread and spontaneous participation in our drama, in the announced death of millions of plant”.
Salento olive tree
The numbers are frightening. In the last five years, over 21 million olive trees have disappeared, destroyed by xylella, and at least 5 thousand olive growers have lost fields, jobs and traditions, reducing the production of Salento oil by 80 percent. So Simone and Alessandro decided to leave. “From completely dry to completely green. This is our dream: to make this enormous misfortune reversible. But we needed friends, many friends – continues Simone who adds an entrepreneurial vision to the romantic approach, having studied at Bocconi in Milan – and a hand aimed at olive growers, who know well that with regional incentives they can do very little to rebuild old olive groves from scratch. So many were abandoning the idea of planting new trees, and were reluctant to venture into a difficult undertaking: investing years of work and economic resources without certainty about the future “.
Olivami
Hence the idea of Olivami: a widespread participation by lovers of Salento around the world. “With about 250 euros – continues Simone – a person who, for example, lives in Scotland can adopt ten plants. But he can also adopt just one, less than 32 euros is enough. It works like this: we take the plants and entrust them to an olive grower who cultivates them. As an association we promote and encourage this good practice which implies the pre-purchase of the oil produced by that plant. Furthermore, the adopter can give a name to the tree or give the olive tree to a third person. To a child , for example, who will see the tree grow with him “. Like the David tree, a small large olive tree already firmly established in the land of Carpignano Salentino.
The reference website, of course, is also translated into English to encourage the adhesion of as many people as possible in the world. The entire purchase and adoption process can be completed online. The cultivars chosen are those resistant to bacteria such as Favolosa and Leccino which will progressively replace other essences severely affected by xylella such as Ogliarola and Cellina.
Is there already a response from people? “We cannot complain – continues Simone Chiriatti – because 152 trees were adopted in just two days. The association, which belongs to the third sector, was established only on January 31 last and has been operational for less than a week. we are really happy and satisfied also because the promotion of Salento olive growing is comprehensive and serves to promote the purchase of the oil itself. In the sense that whoever wants to can buy additional oil compared to that produced by the plant that has been adopted “.
Adopt an olive tree
And then, the operation is also an opportunity to protect the environment. “Each new olive tree planted will offset the CO2 emissions – concludes Chiriatti – and will rebuild the identity of Salento. Together with the oil, the adopters will also receive a certificate with the quantification of the compensated CO2. In the last five years the pollution rate has increased by “eight percent. Each hectare of olive trees removes 9.5 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere every year. That is to say about 730 kilograms of CO2 per year for each tree. It will be the contribution made by each tree to the environment. finally, agreements with local accommodation facilities, such as farmhouses, to allow those who have adopted the trees to spend their holidays in the province “.
Article of: https://bari.repubblica.it/cronaca/2022/02/18/news/salento_adotta_un_ulivo-338161070/
