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Gianfranco Cunsolo

Gianfranco Cunsolo, Italy

Our business is located near the town of Vittoria in the South East of Sicily. Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and although part of Italy, it is very much an autonomous region. The island is renowned for its unique culture, particularly regarding the arts and the wonderful local cuisine. This comes as no surprise since much of the economy is based around pure agricultural products especially vegetables and fruits (oranges and lemons).

Here in Vittoria I grow cucumbers and organic tomatoes. Not the standard tomatoes but a wonderful specialty we call “wild tomatoes”. These are best described as a broad assortment of small sized, very tasty and colourful tomato varieties, packed in a 200 gram tray.

Last summer, I was on Italian television, where they made a programme about my Wild Wonder tomatoes. You can watch it by clicking here.

Interview

Can you tell us why you became an organic grower?

After finishing high school I started to work on my fathers farm. At the time he was running a flower business and working there was a logical step for me. Nevertheless, due to the fact that we were using a lot of insecticides, pesticides and other agro chemicals, I began to realise that this was not the business I wanted to be involved in. I wanted a radical change and after some research, I decided that organic farming was the future. In the year 2000 I started renting an organic farm which I consequently bought in 2006. The following year I built a new greenhouse. Today, I am very proud of what we have built up and that my delicious and colourful tomatoes can be bought throughout Europe!

Why are there so many organic farms in Sicily?

There are four main reasons why. Firstly: Sicily is a volcanic island (Mt. Etna is a good example). This rich and fertile volcanic soil is ideal for organic agriculture. Secondly: Sicily is situated in the southern Mediterranean, no more than 150 kilometres from the North-African coast, and therefore has the benefit of sunshine for much of the year. Even the winter months are mild. Thirdly: Sicilians are strong agricultural roots going back centuries (before agro chemicals were invented). Finally: politics also plays a role: In 2003 and 2004, the Italian government wanted to stimulate organic agriculture in Southern Italy and on the Islands (Sicily, Sardinia) and offered state subsidies. In some regions this aid is no longer available and some farms have left the organic control system. Nevertheless, most of them continued to farm organically, even though they are selling their products with no label in the non-organic market. It is important to note that no market oriented farm went back to the conventional system.

How many varieties of tomatoes do you grow and what is your favourite ?

I grow around 16 different varieties of tomatoes. Some of them have great names like Snowberry, Red Zebra, Yellow Pear, Brownberry and Santorange! More information can be found under products / wild wonders. I have two favourites. Firstly: the Yellow Pear, because of its beautiful colour and fresh taste. I use this myself for salads, because it gives the dish a lot of extra taste and colour. I am also very fond of my Caprese tomatoes ideal for one of our most famous recipes Caprese Siciliana (tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil and olive oil!)

Can you tell us something about your employees?
We have a very international workforce: Local Sicilians, Tunisians and Romanians. Many of our employees have been working with me for a long time and we are a very close team. A good relationship with my employees is vital for me and I try and help them out as much as I can. In return I have a hard working and motivated workforce.

What is your mission/purpose in life?

I want to be an example for other growers/friends and encourage them to switch to organic production. This is because I firmly believe that life is more than just paying the mortgage. I want to inspire others to respect everything around us.

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soil

The main reason why there are so many organic farms on Sicily is the rich, fertile volcanic soil. As Gianfranco explains “Sicily is a volcanic island (everyone knows Mt. Etna) and consequently the island is covered by this nutrient rich soil which is ideal for organic agriculture.

Despite the fertile Sicilian soil, it is still necessary to feed the soil and thus the plants with good compost. Important practices used by Gianfranco to maintain and improve the health of the soil include regular crop rotation (to allow soil recovery time and add useful nutrients and soil vitality), natural crop protection methods (to protect the soil life and plant health) and the use of compost.

Compost is not just a great way of “feeding” the soil and the plants, it is also a way of:

Recycling waste products
Improving the soil structure & fertility
Suppressing diseases, providing plants and soil with important nutrients
Increasing pest tolerance
Gradually bringing back the natural balance of the eco-system
Reducing water usage through improvement of water holding capacity by 50%
Creating employment and economic development
Reducing (ground)water pollution

Furthermore, when Gianfranco’s organic tomatoes are packed environmentally friendly materials (compostable or from renewable sources) are used. This is because there is firm belief that it makes no sense to pack environmentally friendly products in environmentally unfriendly materials like plastic (made from fossil fuels). Ideally the packaging can be used for (industrial) composting however, when the materials are thrown away they will (as opposed to plastic) not pollute the soil.

biodiversity

When you enter Gianfranco’s greenhouse, you automatically look at all the wonderful tomato plants Grianfranco grows. Nevertheless if you take a little time to study the plants and flowers more carefully you will notice a wide variety of fascinating insects. The reason for this is that since organic agriculture prohibits the use of agro chemicals, growers like Gianfranco have to rely on nature to combat harmful insects and fight diseases. This is necessary is because today’s consumer rightly expects a high quality product without insects or fungi. “Natural crop protection” is a fancy name for letting nature take care of itself. Basically what happens is that natural predators are introduced into the greenhouse to feed on the harmful insects that can negatively affect the plant and the fruit. Ladybirds, parasitic wasps and “fast action” mite predators cannot go long without food and therefore they actively hunt other “harmful” insects.

Another insect that is also often found in Gianfranco’s greenhouse but has a completely different job is the bumble bee. These hard workers pollinate the flowers of the cucumber, tomato, pepper and aubergine plants in an extremely effective manner. Just as their cousins, the honeybees, bumblebees, are able to pollinate the flower at exactly the right time. Compared to their “cousins” bumblebees cope much better with low temperatures and lower light levels and generally work more quickly.

Sicily’s economy is very much based upon agriculture, especially the production of fruits (lemons, olive and oranges) and vegetables (tomatoes, salads). The agricultural expertise of the local population, the rich soil and the Mediterranean climate are all reasons why plants grow so well on the island. Gianfranco “Here in Vittoria I grow cucumbers and organic tomatoes. Not the standard tomatoes but a wonderful specialty we call “wild tomatoes”. These are best described as a broad assortment of small sized, very tasty and colourful tomato varieties. I grow around 16 different varieties of tomatoes. Some of them have great names like Snowberry, Red Zebra, Yellow Pear, Brownberry and Santorange!”

society

Individual development and empowerment leads to freedom which is the basis for all progress. For Gianfranco this means giving responsibilities to individuals. This not only ensures the employee takes responsibility over his or her work but that they are also motivated and empowered Gabriele Ungureanu from Romania explains “For 2 years I have been working with Gianfranco, I like to work here because Gianfranco gives me a lot of responsibility, so I can have the opportunity to grow professionally”.

A key aspect of solidarity is looking after each other. Gianfranco has a very close relationship with his employees. He is more than a boss almost a father figure for them. Here are some the things his employees say about him:

Limame from Tunisia “I have been working with Gianfranco since 2001, we have a good co-operation. He has taught me much about organic agriculture. In the future I would like to buy a plot of land to convert it in organic land. I hope to have same co-operation with him for a long time to come”. Cristian Ceausu from Romania “I came in this farm 3 years ago, I enjoy it here. When I have problems with money, Gianfranco always helps me out. Last year I got married and now my wife is expecting a baby, I am very happy”. Gabriele Ungureanu from Romania “For 2 years I have been working with Gianfranco, I like to work here because Gianfranco gives me a lot of responsibility, so I can have the opportunity to grow professionally. Moreover he has helped me many times: he bought me my first car. Next year I will get married”. Petronella Ceasu “I started working here last year after hearing very positive stories about Gianfranco from my brother. When I arrived here I found a good environment, now I hope to work here for a long time”

climate

Compared to his Dutch Nature & More colleagues, when it comes to energy Gianfranco can rely for a large part on the warm Mediterranean sun. Gianfranco “Sicily is situated in the southern Mediterranean, no more than 150 kilometers from the North-African coast, and therefore has the benefit of sunshine for much of the year. Even the winter months are mild”.

Gianfranco has also installed solar panels to profit even more from the warm Sicilian sun. “we expect that the solar panels will save us around 50% of our current energy costs and of course it’s good for the environment … the way I see it, it is a win win situation!”

Carbon Footprint:
The results of the study show the carbon footprint (amount of greenhouse gas emissions) of one kilogram product upon its arrival on European retail shelves. The calculations for carbon footprint are based on the reported emissions for the period of January 1st 2008 until December 31st 2008.
All greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the assessed supply chain were identified and analyzed through assessment questionnaires, site visits and desktop researches.
The assessments are done according to a comparable methodology as described in the PAS 2050 (Publicly Available Specification), a standard for carbon footprint assessment of goods and services developed by the British Standard Institute.
The carbon footprint assessment study takes into account direct emissions and indirect emissions.

In this assessment, direct GHG emissions include the combustion of fossil fuel related emissions for the vehicles and equipment on the farm, volatilization of refrigerants, and soil emissions related to nitrogen fertilization at farm level.
In this assessment, indirect GHG emissions include the emissions in relation to electricity purchased (used at farm level and for packing, storage, stationary cooling and other activities at the growers facilities and EOSTA’s pack house and office), emissions related to outsourced activities such as transport and mobile cooling from farm to pack house, to port, ocean vessel shipping, import handling and transport and distribution to retail. Indirect GHG emissions also include emissions related to the manufacturing and transport of agricultural inputs and packaging materials.
The calculations are based on GHG activity data provided by the different stakeholders of the supply chain, multiplied by the appropriate GHG emission factors. The GHG emission factors are provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); the International Energy Agency (IEA); the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)/Energy Information Administration (EIA); the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), the United Kingdom Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), as well as independent studies.

The carbon footprint study was carried out by Soil & More International BV.

www.soilandmore.com

water

You don’t have to be an expert in organic farming to realize that water is absolutely essential when it comes to cultivating crops. Climate change, droughts, pollution etc. are threatening this vital resource and the future does not look all that good.

All our Nature & More growers understand the importance of water and are careful to use only what is absolutely necessary. On a more positive note, studies have shown that good organic compost increases the water holding properties of the soil meaning that 100 litres of water goes much further on an organic farm compared to its conventional counterpart.

In Sicily, water is a scarce and Gianfranco is very careful to pump up only what is absolutely necessary. We will keep you updated of all the developments.

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