Climate and ecological changes have amplified the debate on agri-food systems and their potential effects. Agri-food systems are indeed responsible for climate change and at the same time vulnerable to its effects, due to at least three important issues: the climatic and ecological impact generated by the entire production chain; the opening up of new frontier areas for agricultural expansion and livestock breeding; the insecurities of agrifood systems in the face of extreme climatic events and the degradation of environmental conditions. This article aims to investigate how climatic and ecological changes profoundly affect agricultural areas and the identity of the food produced, reconfiguring production in both relation to space and time. The focus will be on the Italian context where, while products considered exotic will become ‘local’ (such as the Sicilian mango), others will have to adapt to new production protocols and modify terroirs and cultivars to maintain quality certifications (such as in the wine sector). The defense of typical products and attempts to maintain them in changed ecological and climatic conditions will in the future involve a complex negotiation between space, terroir and identity. The ability to innovate and adapt to socio-natural changes will therefore be crucial.