Dodds prison farm to feed inmates, nation

An ambitious plan to address food security and inmate rehabilitation will see Dodds Prison transforming its agricultural programme into a major food production hub, Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams has revealed.

The plan aims to make the prison self-sufficient in food production within 18 months and potentially supply other government institutions.

“We’re doing it in a phased approach, starting with the chickens, to completely increase the capacity to produce the food that the prison requires and to be able to supplement the food requirements of other organisations, for example, the Barbados Defence Force, the school meals programme and the Government Industrial School, within the next 18 months, “Abrahams said following a tour of the farm at the St Philip correctional facility on Tuesday.

“The aim is self-sustainability, definitely in protein and vegetables within the next 18 months. I’ve made a heavy charge on the superintendent and the person in charge of the agricultural programme has assured me that he can meet those deadlines and we are starting pretty much immediately.”

The farm at the prison has various programmes such as pig, chicken, cattle, goat and rabbit rearing and crop production.

Superintendent of Prisons DeCarlo Payne said he was looking forward to the farm expansion project and meeting the prison’s food security mandate.

Once the finances are made available to support the programme, Payne said, the expansion would start.

Farm Manager Deighton Davis said the inmates involved in the programme will learn valuable skills they can use after they serve their time.

“This programme will prepare inmates on their release from prison to go and start their own farm and be self-employed so as to help them from coming back to prison,” he said.

The minister added that the expansion project would also be part of an agriculture CVQ programme and those involved would gain the certification when the project is completed. (SZB)