Prison officers graduate from intensive farming programme to boost self-sufficiency

Dodds Prison has taken a major step towards transforming itself into a model of self-reliance and national development, as nine correctional officers graduated on Friday from an intensive agriculture programme aimed at making the island’s main prison 80 per cent self-sufficient in food production.

The training was delivered over six weeks beginning in January and formed part of the Barbados Prison Agriculture Expansion Project, a collaborative effort between the Barbados Prison Service, the University of the West Indies’ Centre for Agricultural Research and Innovation (CAGRI) and the Barbados Defence Force.

Among the graduates were Emille Kellman, Denis Warner, Cecilia Trotman, Mikail Stuart, Daniel Stoute, Brent Bynoe, David Walkes, Anthony Lee, and Deighton Davis, who is also the prison farm manager.

Officials said this was only the beginning, as more officers were expected to be trained, with plans to include inmates in future cohorts.

The move, according to officials, aligns food production with rehabilitation and reintegration.

“This initiative helps us meet the mandate set by the minister, to be self-sufficient in crops and meat and to contribute meaningfully to national food security,” Superintendent of Prisons De Carlo Payne said in his opening remarks at the graduation ceremony. “It’s also a chance to strengthen collaboration with other institutions as we move forward.”

The course covered sustainable crop production, soil management, poultry care, animal nutrition, and integrated farming systems, including practical sessions in butchery.

Director of CAGRI Dr Michele Singh said the programme was designed not just to deliver knowledge, but to build capacity and confidence.

“Today is an important milestone, not just for the nine officers, but for what this represents. We are restoring the Dodds farm to its full potential. These officers are now not only practitioners, but also potential trainers. That is how institutional transformation begins,” she said, adding that CAGRI has committed to monthly monitoring, evaluation, and advanced follow-up training.

Singh also noted the broader potential of the programme, saying CAGRI is already exploring ways to replicate the model in schools and other state institutions as part of a long-term vision for food sovereignty and public service productivity.

Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams, who delivered the keynote address, hailed the training as a pivotal part of the government’s resilience agenda.

“There is no good reason why Dodds Prison should not be fully self-sufficient within the next 12 months,” he said. “You have land. You now have the training. And you have the vision.”

Abrahams added that every officer who gains a skill must pass it on, particularly to the inmate population.

“The inmates are not labour, they are students and you have a duty, just as much as to keep them secure, to help educate and uplift them.”

The minister also noted that Dodds consumes a large volume of food and operates on extensive land, adding that proper use of those resources is not only a matter of operational efficiency, but national responsibility.

Graduate David Walkes, who delivered the student address, reflected on the experience.

“We’ve studied the science of soil, the art of planting, and the responsibility of sustaining ecosystems,” he said. “We’ve learned to turn land into nourishment, effort into independence, and skills into sustainability.”

He also credited instructors Dr Michele Singh and Jacqueline Broomes for “planting the seeds of knowledge in us, watering our thoughts, and fertilising our curiosity.”

Four officers were specially recognised for their performance: Brent Bynoe, Most Outstanding Performer; Denis Warner, Most Improved; Emille Kellman, Most Practical Student; and Cecilia Trotman, Top in Crop Production.

A guided tour of the prison’s farm followed the certificate presentation, showcasing new crops, expanded livestock operations, and the beginning of what officials hope will become one of the region’s leading correctional agriculture programmes.

“We’re not just cultivating crops, we’re cultivating change,” Abrahams said. (SM)