Greek farmers experimenting with tropical crops

Stirring the leaves of a shrub on his farm in Kyparissia, western Greece, Panos Adamopoulos spied the first soon-to-be-ripe mangoes — his share of a state experiment against climate change. “Right there,” he exclaimed. For decades, this fertile land on the shores of the Ionian Sea has been mainly known for olives, in addition to watermelon and other crops. However, even this part of Greece that sees more rain than other parts of the country is grappling with the effects of drought. After the warmest winter on record, Greece also experienced the hottest June and July since reliable data collection began in 1960. “There is no winter,” Adamopoulos, 38, said, adding that his property has not received a drop of rain since March. “No water, no cultivation,” said the farmer, whose trees seem to grow right into the Ionian Sea. Most of Adamopoulos’ income currently comes from iceberg lettuce. But with increasingly arid seasons in sight, he might soon have to give up on some of his ...