Italy: A co-operative grows mafia lands in Sicily

?Lavoro e non solo? is a co-operative based in Sicily in the mafia area between Corleone, Canicattì and Monreale, which cultivates lands confiscated to the mafia.

It employs 13 people, 8 partners and 5 disadvantaged people and uses organic criterias.
In less than six years the cooperative has become able to cultivate 112 hectares, starting from 10 hectares. In fact becoming Arci’s partners they have had the chance to get in contact with Libera, an association against mafia, which has given land as a free loan.
Arci is an association for the promotion and development of the association’s world.
The lands in Monreale and Corleone have been given by a consortium and the ones in Canicattì by the Municipality.

This way mafia bosses properties today grow tons of vegetables: tomatoes, wheat and from next year even prickly pears!

In the last two years the co-operative fields have become training workshops. During the year they host final year University students of the Faculty of Agriculture of Palermo and in summer they house young people for work camps.

www.arci.it
www.libera.it