Eco-social farming is quietly transforming prison life across Europe – and a new compact online course is helping prison staff lead that change. Designed within the Erasmus+ project EcoFarms4Prisons, the Eco-Social Farming in Prisons course equips trainers and educators with the knowledge and confidence to establish or strengthen organic farming activities with inmates. The course supports prison staff to use eco-social farming as a powerful tool for rehabilitation, sustainability and long-term positive change.
Why eco-social farming in prisons?
Agriculture has long been present in prisons, originally to supply food for the institution itself. Today, budget pressures and external catering mean that farming has disappeared from many facilities. Yet those prisons that have maintained – or even revived – agricultural activities are seeing powerful benefits.
Working with plants, animals and soil offers meaningful, structured employment for prisoners. It provides:
- Physical activity in the fresh air
- A strong sense of responsibility for living beings and shared spaces
- Transferable skills for life and work after release
Organic farming is particularly suitable in this context. Because it avoids harmful agrochemicals and relies more on manual labour, it creates hands-on learning opportunities while actively protecting health and the environment. At the same time, ecological production of vegetables and other foods supports biodiversity and nature, turning prison grounds into living examples of environmental stewardship.
There is also a clear social and therapeutic dimension. Time spent in nature, caring for plants and animals, can improve mental wellbeing, reduce stress and support rehabilitation. Eco-social farming recognises nature not just as a backdrop for social inclusion, but as a partner to be cared for – a genuine “give and take” relationship that aims at ecological inclusion.
The Eco-Social Farming in Prisons course (around 40 hours, fully online) is designed for prison educators and trainers who want to create or improve organic farming activities with inmates. It shows how even small or limited spaces can be turned into productive gardens or farms.
Apply for the course!
Next steps
The implementation of organic farms: together with staff and educators, partners will select prisoners to be involved in the implementation of organic farms. The exact size and modalities (e.g., growing plants only or also raising animals) will depend on the space available in individual prisons. The final objective is to arrive at the production of food that can be eaten by prisoners and also sold outside. The overall objective is to improve the quality of life of prisoners, involving them in a rehabilitative and educational activity that is both sustainable and environmentally friendly and to improve the impact on
biodiversity and landscape development of the prison farms.
In terms of non-tangible results, the pilot action will have a positive impact on the participants both regarding personal growth and the acquisition of new knowledge and skills, and with about the impact on the prisoners‘ quality of life. Indeed, prisoners will benefit from the positive physical and mental impact of being outdoors and having personally produced something of value to them and others in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. The pilot action will thus also develop the prisoners‘ civic sense, acting positively on the process of re-education and reintegration into society.
