Local Community’s Perception of Agrobiodiversity as Cultural Heritage and the Role of Ceratonia Siliqua L. in Characterizing the Rural Landscape Identity of Modica and Rosolini (Sicily-Italy)

This paper proposes valorizing the Ceratonia siliqua L. (carob) in two Sicilian municipalities (Rosolini and Modica, Italy). The carob tree in this area is a crucial resource for understanding the identity of the rural local landscape since the first descriptions of the island’s flora. Furthermore, it has a significative productive value, representing the municipalities with the highest number of carob trees of the Free Municipal Consortiums of Ragusa and Syracuse, which cover 98% of the Italian production. Carob’s production in Italy follows only the production of Portugal at the international level, covering 14.36% of world production. At the same time, in Sicily, carob trees often are located in marginal agricultural areas, and the local communities do not recognize their value. For this reason, the method uses a multi-stakeholder approach to involve the elderly living in the municipalities, the farmers producing the carobs, and the local product storage and processing companies. The method develops a network to activate cooperation between stakeholders producing a collaborative GIS map dedicated to the carob as the main result. This map highlighted the rural dimension of Modica and Rosolini and allowed sharing of memories, practices, recipes, and moments between local communities and companies. Furthermore, the map can be used for the tourist promotion of carob plants by sharing it online. The paper also develops two tourist paths dedicated to Ceratonia siliqua L., its products, its traditional and actual uses, and the rural landscape.