Background/Question/Methods Biodiversity and agricultural productivity are compromised by the ongoing worldwide reduction of pollinator insects. One of the primary causes of pollinators’ decline is the specialization of the modern agricultural industry and creating a landscape dominated by monocultures characterized by an intensive input of herbicides and pesticides. This killing both pollinator insects and invasive, and limits the areas of natural vegetation that provide habitat for pollinators. Currently, the energy policy stimulates private investment in the conversion of agricultural farms into photovoltaic farms. The new European Union's Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 recommends finding new combinations of energy production compatible with biodiversity support. Thus, the aim of the study is to promote ecological, economic, and social harmony in the land-use transition from agricultural to photovoltaic farms creating green infrastructure in the Apulian region, South Italy. Mainly, we focused on pollination, food, and medical raw ecosystem services productions and at the same time to reduce the current ordinary vegetation management cost of the photovoltaic farms. The methodology includes the GIS analysis of the context of reference at the regional level and the ecological characterization of some photovoltaic farms. The study involved social and economic stakeholders' engagement and involvement of scientific experts such as ecologists, botanists, faunists, agronomists to develop the best natural solutions. Results/Conclusions We hypnotized different Natural based Solutions able to supporting the priority ecosystem services derivated from stakeholder and expert analysis. The results suggest that the replacement of spontaneous vegetation growing in the photovoltaic farms with selected autochthonous cultivated species improves the landscape ecological quality; agricultural activities; increase companies’ revenues; and local population well-being. Considering different hypothesized solutions, the economic analysis highlight that the annual return rate of the initial investment to transform the ground photovoltaic farm into green infrastructure is from 9% to 43%. Considering the current localization and number of photovoltaic farms realized in the Apulian region, with this approach of green infrastructure planning it is possible to realize a pollination ecological network at the regional level with important benefit for biodiversity at the regional scale. The green infrastructure planed is a good developmental strategy for far-sighted companies to increase the direct economic value and contextually produce social and ecological benefits. In this study, the transdisciplinary approach was important to develop a flow of knowledge between different stakeholders, bridging the knowledge gaps generated by sectoral approaches and creating a holistic vision of the involved stakeholders and experiences.
