Opportunities for urban farming: the case study of San Martino Hill in Naples, Italy

Abstract

In the midst of the economic crisis, the management of urban farming represents a key challenge for improving ecological performances within the city. Indeed agricultural areas have a great potential in terms of urban re-generation, fostering a city’s resilience and its energy efficiency, even in the perspective of climate change hazards. Further agricultural areas are also crucial for social opportunities and new job creation in the perspective of integrating both ecological and urban services in the framework of more competitive (and attractive) cities. According to the MEA definition of ecosystem services as constituents of well-being (MAE, 2005), this paper presents a case study that addresses the following questions: Can we consider the urban agricultural areas as an ecological infrastructure for the city? And, if affirmative, can we manage it in a more integrated way? The study is structured as a research case study and focuses on a former agricultural area in the city centre of Naples, Italy. This is an almost three hectares area on the hill of San Martino featured by being an important city’s landmark. Despite the abandonment of crops, the agricultural land use is still typical of the hill and it represents a core potential to provide ecological and urban services for the city. The study discusses a demonstration project aimed at assessing comprehensive viability for managing agricultural use in order to protect the natural soils and updating both urban and ecological services (such as waste management, social security, sliding risk reduction) through a non-conventional public service policy.