Prisoners in the Penal and Correctional Institution Kaonik near Busovala grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and onion in greenhouses, as well as beans, cabbage, potatoes and other vegetables for the prison kitchen.
In this way, they make a saving of 30 percent on vegetables. Another two greenhouses will be bought, so they will soon produce all vegetable cultures necessary for the prison kitchen with their labor and knowledge.
“This is a working engagement of convicted persons who are serving their sentence in our institution. We started with greenhouse production and other types of agricultural production. Convicts who have greenhouses at their homes are engaged in this greenhouse that we have. They know about production, they work well, and at the same time they teach other prisoners who never dealt with greenhouse production. I hope that in the coming period we will manage to provide at least two more greenhouses, in order to produce sufficient amounts of vegetables and other products for our needs. Only then we would not have to buy tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions, potatoes, beans and other vegetables,” said Marko Krišto, warden of the Penal and Correctional Institution Kaonik.
One of the prisoners who works in the greenhouse is Mevludin Smolo.
“I have a greenhouse at home. I know a lot about this production and times goes by much faster when I work in the greenhouse or teach prisoners who want to learn something about this. What makes me especially happy is that we produce ecologically healthy food here. Vegetables are not treated in any way, no pesticides or other protective means are used,” Mevludin said.
Marko Krišto said that working in the greenhouse is a great therapy for the prisoners, and when you add the fact that they produce healthy food for the prison kitchen, then it is a double success.
In addition to greenhouse production, prisoners also separate waste, whether it is paper, plastics, aluminum bottles, and thus contribute to the society and cope with the prison days better.
(Source: radiosarajevo.ba/photo: flash.ba)