Sustainable Innovation in Metropolitan Agriculture of Bologna: Good Practices and Innovation System

Applying the theoretical and operative framework of the MADRE project the author describes several innovative cases and good practices of Metropolitan Agriculture (MA) within the Metropolitan area of Bologna (Italy). The good practices are selected among the stakeholders of the so-called “quadruple helix”, and briefly described through their main innovative features or approach according to six innovation themes related to MA. For each analyzed case (or practice) has been thus highlighted the contribution to the eight challenges identified by the operative framework of MADRE, in order to provide an easy guideline for the decision-makers. Finally, without an exhaustive presumption in a constantly evolving scenario, the peculiar “innovation system” of the Metropolitan area of Bologna is synthesized in a chart that summarized the identified innovation themes and the rating of the different challenges.