Prisoners harvest fruits and vegetables through ‘agri programme’

Inmates from various prison facilities across the country recently harvested a quantity of fruits and vegetables through the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) agriculture programme.

Director of Prison, Nicklon Elliot, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said the project is a demonstration of the GPS extending its rehabilitation programmes and finding more ways to help prisoners develop their existing skills or discover their talents.

He noted that the programme’s strategic goal is to maximise yields through the service’s investment in large-scale farming for the prison industry.

Farming is being done at the Mazaruni, Lusignan and Timehri prisons.

At the Mazaruni Prison farm, some 12.5 pounds of peanut, 23.4 pounds of turmeric and 51 pounds of yams crossed with sweet potato were harvested.

The Lusignan Prison farm inmates harvested a quantity of fruits.

Meanwhile, for the year so far, the GPS’s hatcheries at Lusignan and Mazaruni Prisons produced 807 trays of eggs.

“Further, the aquaculture initiative with the rearing of Red Tilapia at its Timehri prison location produced some 75kg for last month,” the GPS said.

The GPS agriculture programme is part of its Agricultural Strategic Plan 2021. The programme provides inmates with the opportunity to gain skills in farming and animal husbandry. Chickens, ducks, pigs, sheep and cows are also being reared at the prison locations.