Bucolic but drying: how climate change is affecting Latium Maremma

Imagine yourself immersed in a timeless Italian landscape: medieval villages perched on gentle green hills that have hosted human life for centuries, glistening blue lakes, and small, family-run farms nestled in the countryside. This is the typical image of Italy, a postcard of serenity and tradition that captures the essence of the Maremma area in the Latium region, just outside Rome, in central Italy. It’s a place where history whispers through Etruscan ruins, and where nature, culture, and good food are deeply intertwined.

However, for many who live and work here, the reality is far from bucolic and laid-back. Running a business has become increasingly difficult, especially for farmers. In recent years, extreme weather – particularly during the hot summer months – has swept across the Italian peninsula. Severe droughts, affecting regions from north to south, have driven some areas to declare a state of emergency due to a lack of rain and depleted water tables, such as in Sicily.

In the Latium Maremma, a striking example occurred in 2017, when drought conditions were so severe that water had to be drawn from nearby Lake Bracciano to supply the city of Rome. The lake’s water level dropped to one-third of its capacity – an alarming decline that threatened its delicate ecosystem and left local farms struggling without access to water.

With little to no water available to irrigate crops or sustain livestock during the summer – and minimal institutional support – smallholder family farms in the Latium Maremma, a system that has endured for generations, are now facing existential threats. As drought conditions intensify – with 2024 marking the second national drought emergency after 2022 and the risk of another dry summer ahead – the need for sustainable water management solutions has never been more urgent.

The view from Agrihouse farm, Italy: a typical Latium Maremma landscape

The water catchments revolution – building local resilience against extreme drought

The critical water situation in central Italy became a call to action for Barbara, a former energy engineer turned organic farmer, who sees the very survival of small farms at stake. Barbara returned to Italy in 2019 after 10 years abroad, where she worked as a researcher in renewable energy and sustainability. Driven by a desire to align her work with her values of a sustainable lifestyle, a vision of supportive and attentive community and health food production for farmers and citizens – she decided to take over her family’s historic organic farm: Agrihouse.

Today, Barbara – together with her family – manages a 40-hectare property that includes:

• 28 hectares of organically farmed land
• A vineyard and olive groves
• Forested hills
• Livestock, including Maremma cows – a local, heat-resilient breed once used by the Etruscans
• An Agriturismo – a rural guesthouse where visitors experience country life and enjoy traditional food

Barbara with a friend from the farm

But Agrihouse is no longer just a farm: it has become a catalyst for systemic change in local land management. With large monoculture farms often prioritized and the voices of smallholder’s organic farms left unheard, Barbara recognized that real change had to come through political engagement. Her view was clear: smallholder farmers – those who live and work the land – are stewards of the territory and must have a voice in shaping agricultural policy and decision-making.

Motivated by this belief, Barbara brought together local farmers and residents to form, in 2022, an officially recognized Organic District: The Biodistretto dei Laghi di Bracciano e Martignano. This marked her first major breakthrough as Organic Districts are an emerging model of local governance in Italy which unites diverse stakeholders to manage the land sustainably according to organic principles.

Today, the Organic District of Bracciano and Martignano collaborates with local, regional, and national authorities, as well as other Organic Districts across Italy. Together with Italian research institutes CREA, ENEA, FIRAB, and ARSIAL – the district co-founded the Latium Working Group on Climate Change, Tavolo di Lavoro sui Cambiamenti Climatici del Lazio – this multi-stakeholder group brings together researchers, policymakers, and farmers to develop new agricultural policies, promote sustainable agroecological solutions, and raise awareness about drought and related climate risks.

One of the District’s most important victories came after a year of negotiations: the Regional Government agreed to co-finance rainwater ponds for agricultural use – a game-changing solution enabling farms to capture and store seasonal water for use during dry periods.

But the work is far from over. The next steps for the District include:

• Simplifying the legal process for authorizing the construction of water catchments on farms
• Incorporating ecosystem restoration expertise to ensure water ponds are designed using agroecological principles

This marks a crucial step toward climate resilience in the area and the beginning of a new paradigm, one rooted in local cooperation and the belief that rural communities can lead the way in adapting to a changing climate.

Part of the Organic District Team during one of the annual public events for the Organic District farmers, Lake Bracciano, Italy

Agrihouse’s commitment to Ecosystem Restoration Communities

At the moment Agrihouse’s focus is on building small, cost-effective ponds to capture and store water, creating a replicable model that other small farms can adopt. In doing so, the farm aims to become a hub for sustainable development in Italy, supporting farmers ready to transition toward regenerative and agroecological practices, while providing a real-world example of what ecosystem restoration can look like.

Inspired by the mission and vision of Ecosystem Restoration Communities, and driven by the goal of building a strong sense of community and mutual support, Agrihouse joined the ERC movement in 2024 as the third project based in Italy after Rocciaviva and REGEN. The aim was to become part of a global network of changemakers – like-minded individuals working together to restore ecosystems, exchange knowledge, and support one another. Barbara saw in this alliance, an opportunity to strengthen Agrihouse’s role as a model of resilience – particularly in addressing the urgent challenges of drought and water scarcity.

At the same time, Agrihouse is working to establish a balanced agroforestry system on its land, where cattle and trees coexist and support one another. To this end, the farm has planted:

• 54 oak trees to improve water retention and reduce erosion
• 700 olive trees as a local crop
• 300 hazelnut trees to enhance local biodiversity and support sustainable agriculture

Along with this, the farm is currently planning a Voisin Rational Grazing scheme, a regenerative livestock farming system for the cows, donkeys and sheep on the farm.

View of Agrihouse farm property from the nearby hills

The farm’s long-term vision for the future of the region

With its eyes on the future, Agrihouse holds a clear and long-term vision for the region it inhabits and, more broadly, for the entire Italian peninsula. Each area – and each Organic District – must recognize and embrace its own uniqueness: its distinct ecosystems, landscapes, and local needs. These must be managed in a way that is both sustainable and responsive to local conditions. In doing so, farms can maximize productivity while maintaining ecological balance and enhancing human well-being through the ecosystem services they provide.

Barbara is well aware that the road ahead is still long. However, the achievements already realized and the strong support of the communities she has created make the effort worthwhile. Surely, her determination is lighting the path of a grassroots revolution – one that seeks to ensure that the cherished postcard image of Italy not only endures, but flourishes.

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Learn more about ecosystem restoration work at ERC Agrihouse in Italy and visit their website for more on their agritourism initiative

Teaser image credit: Author supplied.