THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIC METHOD IN SOCIAL HORTICULTURE

The professional training and the labour management are primary aspects of the management of commercial farms, especially in so-called “social” or “care” farms in which horticultural therapy is often applied and personnel management must be combined with the need to obtain high quality products. Organic method represents a useful strategy to improve the quality of the production and to transfer agronomic competences to people with various type of disabilities. The paper presents the results of two different projects in which nursery, horticultural and fruit tree crops were grown in two different care farms present in Viterbo’s urban environment (Latium, Centre of Italy). People with mental disabilities and “double diagnosis” caused by addictions of alcohol or drugs and mental disability, were actively involved in horticultural activities with the aim to integrate the rehabilita¬tion programs of the care farms and to determine “good agronomical practices” to be adopted in this kind of situations. People employed showed a strong wish to be involved in horticultural activities to affirm their own distinguishable social and work role. Organic techniques allowed to increase the involvement of disabled individuals, both in nursery and open field cultivations, to develop specific abilities and to obtain at the same time a satisfactory quality of potted plants and field crops, that were sold in local markets and fairs.