GPS agriculture initiative boosts skills training for rehabilitation

June 9 2026

The Guyana Prison Service (GPS) agricultural programme continues to expand, strengthening food production while advancing rehabilitation through skills training and inmate self-sufficiency.

The initiative is part of the service’s wider strategy to reduce recidivism by equipping inmates with practical agricultural and vocational skills to support reintegration after release.

It is currently active at the Mazaruni, Lusignan, New Amsterdam and Timehri prison facilities, where inmates are engaged in crop farming, livestock rearing and related agricultural work.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has highlighted the Mazaruni Prison as a leading site for the programme, hosting the country’s largest prison farm.

The facility operates crop cultivation, livestock production, aquaculture and beekeeping systems, contributing to internal food supply while building agricultural capacity.

An inmate participating in the programme said agriculture was his former occupation and welcomed the opportunity to continue working in the field while incarcerated.

He also noted that experienced inmates help train others, allowing new entrants to develop practical farming skills for life after release.

Officials said the programme remains a key component of the prison service’s rehabilitation framework, alongside education and vocational training, aimed at promoting responsibility and successful reintegration.