Social and inclusive “value” generation in metropolitan area with the “urban gardens” planning

The natural environment in urban areas, often described as “urban green spaces”, is recognized by numerous researches and experiences as an important element because provide indirect and direct benefits to human health and well-being. Among the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Goal 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, is specifically dedicated to urban systems and its ambitious goal is “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. The “urban green spaces” is a heritage of the complex city, which requires careful assessment that considers not only the economic variable, but also the social, environmental and institutional ones. The “urban green spaces” destined to agricultural activities, defined “urban gardens”, are able to offer answers to renewed food, environmental and socio-cultural needs. They can therefore be an important instrument for the integration between building renovation and natural and agricultural environments and could contribute to reducing the vulnerability of the urban system. Despite growing attention to “urban gardens” in the scientific literature, their inclusion in urban planning is not yet seen as a strategic element for a sustainable, resilient and inclusive social city model. The research aims to define the value of urban agriculture as an important instrument to regenerate abandoned or degraded urban areas, with a prevalent social and inclusive function. The proposed research is developed in the neighborhood of the city of Catania (Italy), called “Librino”. The research analyzes the relations among the beneficiaries of the “urban gardens” of Librino with the aim of assessing the social and inclusive function of the urban agricultural cor of the municipal initiative, applying the Social Network Analysis (SNA) methodology.