Stakeholders push PPPs to tackle food insecurity, recidivism in correctional centres

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The Executive Director of Hope Behind Bars Africa, Funke Adeoye, has said that tackling food insecurity within custodial centres is key to reducing recidivism, describing both challenges as deeply interconnected and critical to correctional reform in Nigeria.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement on optimizing correctional farm centres and public-private partnership (PPP) pathways, Adeoye said the dialogue is significant because it focuses on practical solutions to longstanding systemic issues.

“Why does this stakeholder dialogue matter? It matters because it directly addresses two critical and interconnected issues — food insecurity within custodial centres and recidivism,” she said.

According to her, inadequate feeding and lack of structured opportunities for inmates often fuel frustration within facilities and increase the likelihood of reoffending after release.

Adeoye explained that strengthening correctional agriculture through PPPs offers a sustainable pathway to improving inmate welfare while equipping them with marketable skills.

“When we invest in food production and skills development within correctional centres, we are not just addressing hunger; we are building pathways for reintegration and reducing the chances of inmates returning to crime,” she added.

She highlighted the organisation’s
“Farming Justice Project,” currently being implemented in four custodial facilities, as a working model of how partnerships can transform correctional systems.

The project, she noted, combines agricultural production with behavioural and vocational training, enabling inmates to cultivate food, earn income, and acquire agribusiness skills.

“Some of the beneficiaries are already sustaining themselves through ventures like fish farming after release. This shows that when we invest in people, outcomes change,” Adeoye said.

Also speaking, Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, said the dialogue goes beyond policy conversations and is aimed at developing practical, sustainable solutions.

Tunji-Ojo noted that the significance of the engagement lies in its focus on transforming correctional facilities into centres of productivity capable of addressing inmates’ welfare while equipping them with skills for reintegration.

“This stakeholder dialogue matters because it directly addresses two critical issues, food insecurity within custodial centres and recidivism. These are not isolated challenges; they are deeply connected,”.he said.

He explained that improving food systems within correctional facilities through structured agricultural programmes and PPPs would not only enhance inmate welfare but also reduce tension, improve stability, and create opportunities for skill development.

Tunji-Ojo noted that the Federal Government is prioritizing partnerships as a strategic tool to unlock the full potential of correctional farm centres.

“It is no longer sufficient to view incarceration as mere custody. Correctional centres must become platforms for rehabilitation and economic productivity. Through partnerships, we can modernize infrastructure, scale agricultural production, and deliver impactful vocational training,” he added.

Similarly, Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, underscored the link between productive engagement of inmates and reduced reoffending.

He disclosed that the Service currently operates 18 farm centres and multiple agricultural and industrial projects nationwide, producing crops such as rice, maize, cassava, and soya beans.

“These initiatives are not just about feeding inmates. They are structured to provide hands-on skills that will enable them to reintegrate into society successfully,” Nwakuche said.

He stressed that expanding these programmes through private sector collaboration would improve efficiency, introduce modern farming techniques, and align training with market demands.