Organic farms at Christchurch Prison - businesses and prisoner rehabilitation both gain
Friday 17 August 2007, 12:59PM
By Hon Damien O'Conner
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Prisoners will gain valuable skills in the rapidly expanding industry of organics with the opening of two organic farms today at Christchurch Men's Prison, Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor says.
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Prisoners will gain valuable skills in the rapidly expanding industry of organics with the opening of two organic farms today at Christchurch Men's Prison, Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor says.
Mr O'Connor officially opened the gardens with support from Organics Certification Body, AgriQuality, advisory organisation Organics Aotearoa New Zealand and produce supplier Fresh Direct.
The gardens will provide employment for up to 12 minimum-security prisoners at Christchurch Men's Prison and four minimum-security prisoners at Christchurch Women's Prison.
Mr O'Connor said the gardens will be modelled on the existing market garden at Rolleston Prison in Christchurch which provides employment for 20 prisoners and produces 150 tonnes of crops a year for sale to the market. Work is underway to expand the venture in other prisons.
"The two gardens opened today are the next phase of organics expansion for Corrections Inmate Employment, with further growth opportunities being explored at Waikeria and Central North Island prisons," Mr O'Connor said.
Prisoners working within the gardens will receive training by qualified instructors and work towards gaining a NZQA National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 2), which will increase their chances of finding work on release, Mr O'Connor said.
"Gaining employment is a fundamentally important part of prisoner rehabilitation. We know that if prisoners move into meaningful work on their release there is much less chance of them re-offending, so the community benefits as a result.
"That is why these kinds of relationships between businesses and Corrections are hugely beneficial to society, particularly in these times of record low unemployment. I call on employers all over the country to see how they can work with the department."
The department has made good progress in increasing the number of prisoner work and training opportunities over the last year, Mr O'Connor said.
"We now have 55 per cent of sentenced prisoners in some type of work or training. Including remands it is about 44 per cent of prisoners, and those on work to release are up from 27 prisoners a week to around 116 now.
"In rural areas in particular, this has been a welcome addition to the workforce."
Mr O'Connor said CIE has a strong relationship with Fresh Direct Ltd, which considers the department as one of its major suppliers.
Organics Aotearoa New Zealand research indicates New Zealand organic exports are worth around $100m a year and the industry is continuing to grow with demand outstripping supply.
Prison-grown produce will include garlic, French beans, carrots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, leeks, potatoes and pumpkin.
Mr O'Connor said CIE employs in total about 1800 prisoners in a number of industries including forestry, farming, engineering, catering and textiles.
In Christchurch this includes City Firewood, with 15 prisoners employed in the Firewood Operation Plant, and Fresh Pork, with up to 20 prisoners employed in the piggery.