Samarinda prison inmates participate in agribusiness for national food security

The Narcotics Prison Class II A Samarinda in East Kalimantan is actively involving its inmates, known as Warga Binaan Pemasyarakatan (WBP), in an integrated agribusiness program. This initiative is designed to make a tangible contribution to strengthening national food security.

Puis Dirham, the Head of Samarinda Narcotics Prison, stated that this integrated cultivation activity directly supports the sustainability of the national food security program from within the prison walls. The empowerment efforts in agriculture and fisheries are achieved by utilizing available productive land, both inside and outside the prison facilities.

Inmates are being equipped with various modern cultivation techniques. These range from space-efficient horticultural planting methods to the proper procedures for raising freshwater fish. Through the effective use of available land, the prison's work activities section, in collaboration with the inmates, has successfully harvested a variety of agricultural commodities. These include long beans, cucumbers, eggplants, mustard greens, and chili peppers.

Beyond vegetable farming, the prison is also developing freshwater fisheries by releasing one thousand tilapia fingerlings. All produce from these agribusiness activities is fully utilized to meet the daily consumption needs of the prison's kitchen, demonstrating a practical realization of food self-sufficiency within the correctional environment. Puang Dirham expressed hope that the farming skills acquired by the inmates will serve as valuable life skills when they eventually reintegrate into society.

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We very much hope that these farming skills will truly become a life provision for them when they reintegrate into society.