On April 16-17, the International Round Table of EcoFarms4Prisons took place in Witzenhausen, Germany. Sixteen participants from Portugal, Italy, Turkey, and Germany, along with several online participants, exchanged experiences and visions of organic farming approaches in prisons. The workshop aimed to develop and discuss a curriculum for greening prison agriculture in Europe.
Each country presented their respective state of the art in short presentations, with Portugal showcasing the development and current status of the curriculum. Workshops were held both online and in person, allowing participants to discuss inputs and share their experiences and ideas. In the afternoon, the participants present in Witzenhausen continued the exchange and delved deeper into the curriculum content discussions.
The discussions revealed that the differences between countries, types of prisons (open/closed), and above all diverse needs and characteristics of inmates pose significant challenges. The project’s multidisciplinary nature became evident, encompassing not only agroecological aspects but also educational, social, psychological, and economic considerations. Organic farming in prisons presents unique challenges and opportunities, such as preserving rare regional and traditional plant varieties and domestic animal breeds, and maintaining and developing landscapes. For inmates, organic farming offers numerous opportunities for resocialization and personal development. One Italian participant summarized a shared sentiment: “Farming and everything that revolves around land and farm can only help people.”
The next day, participants visited the open youth prison in Rosdorf in the morning and a social pedagogical farm in the afternoon to gain further insights and inspiration for their work.
