Fig Agriculture In A Changing World

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Science & Society, Agriculture, Sustainability, Sustainable Agriculture, Culture, Biodiversity

Ed Hessler

--“So if you long for your son or your friend at a time when they aren’t given to you, you’re longing for a fig in winter, believe me.” (Epictetus, Discourses, III.24.87)

Figs (Ficus sp.) are remarkably drought resistant which has led to a "Mediterranean research initiative, FIGGEN, (which) has assessed how figs succeed while climate changes are causing other  crops to fail." 

The FIGGEN project, how figs survived throughout history, and the importance of their diversity is reported on by British editorial photographer, Rebecca Marshall in Aramco World March / April 2024. 

 

A few items are highlighted below but you need to know that the focus is on Tunisia where Dr. Ghada Baraket "coordinates the Tunisian portion of the FIGGEN project.

--Figs have been cultivated "long before the domestication of wheat, barley or legumes." And they show great variation seen in their varieties.

--Researchers "have worked to identify the genetic traits that enable figs' resilience to heat and drought." Not only can they "survive with minimal water, (they) have little need for fertilizer...are resistant to many pests...grow back after a forest fire."

--The research design is described - which of the common fig (Ficus carica) is most resilient to climate change (in this case lack of water and increased soil salinization). The team investigated 270 varieties and a "list of the 23 fig varieties that did the best" has been compiled.

--There are several "boxes" to explore: Did you know?, The fig tree's benefits in arid ecosystems, and one, a page of anthotypes, a print process. If you scan the QR code you can learn how they were created by the author.

--There is an extensive section on a Tunisian fig farmer, Faouzi Dgeggi, who witnessed the disappearance of some traditional varieties, one of which was known for its fat figs "sacrificed their fruits to survive ''recent drought. Quantity (and size) was reduced. Dgeggi's "curiosity  led him to an "experiment" of his own.

--The availability of FIGGEN results for some of the nations participating in the study will soon be available, including publication in peer-reviewed journals.

--The experience with diminished crops from the lemon trees of Tunisian farmer Abdesslem Agaya is used to open the story and he closes the reporting with a quote on fig trees.

As usual, the photography is lovely and informs the story. I strongly recommend reading photo captions.

Here is the essay for which you must scroll down to page 14. You will be greeted by the cover photograph of a fig tree with its fruit.

About the FIGGEN project. The essay has a full page photograph of Dr. Ghada Baraket who is the Tunisian coordinator.

 

Wiki entry on caprification.

 

Wiki entry on Tunis El Manar University.

Homepage Rebecca Marshall.

 

Wiki entry on anthotypes. If you are interested in making an anthotype this site (one of many) shows you how it is done and what is involved.

 

Wiki entry on figs.

I also want to thank and author for a note in his book A Very (Short) History of Life on Earth. Henry Gee pointed out a paper on the relationship between fig wasps and figs (a photo is shown in Marshall's essay). He included a comment about the article. You may have wondered "why," Gee wrote, "when we eat a fig, we don't get a mouthful of wasps." Here is the quick guide to the paper.