04/05/2026
REGIONAL BENCHMARKING TO ENHANCE AGRICULTURE, REHABILITATION
His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) collaborated with several prison administrations across the SADC region to benchmark crop and food production practices. The exercise, which took place at Hardap Correctional facility in Mariental, Namibia on the 2nd May 2026, brought together Correctional representatives from Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola, Botswana and Eswatini.
The purpose of the benchmarking visit was to learn and share practical approaches used by different correctional systems to strengthen agricultural productivity under prison conditions. Crop production in correctional settings plays an important role in food security for inmates and helps reduce dependence on external supply channels. By focusing on real production methods such as cultivation techniques, farm management, and post-harvest handling, the participating countries aimed to identify strategies that can improve efficiency and yields in all Corrections/Prisons/Penitentiary services across Southern Africa.
Another important element of the benchmarking exercise was the exchange of ideas on rehabilitation outcomes linked to agriculture. Crop production programmes can contribute to rehabilitation by providing inmates with meaningful work, discipline and practical skills. When food production systems become stronger and more organised, farming programmes become more structured and educational, supporting long-term development for individuals and enabling reintegration readiness when inmates return to society.
The HMCS delegation was led by Deputy Commissioner General Vusi Kunene who said that the benchmarking exercise was an important opportunity for the department to learn from regional partners and improve agricultural practices within correctional facilities. He noted that such collaboration with penitentiary institutions from countries across the region helps HMCS gain practical insights on how to increase productivity, strengthen food supply, and reduce challenges associated with planting, harvesting, and post-harvest management. He further emphasised that improving prison agriculture is not only about producing more food, but also about promoting sustainability, discipline and skills development for inmates through meaningful work that supports rehabilitation and reintegration.
Echoing Kunene’s words, Chief Officer Raymond Dlamini who is Farm Supervisor at Bhalekane Correctional Centre said that being exposed to how other correctional institutions across the region organise their agricultural programmes helped him gain new ideas on improving field management, crop handling, and overall production systems. He added that the exercise also enhanced staff knowledge and encouraged teamwork, because the knowledge shared during the benchmarking can be adapted to HMCS to improve yields, efficiency, and long-term food security.
By working with prison and penitentiary administrations from Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola and Botswana, HMCS strengthened regional cooperation and created a platform for shared learning. The exchange of successful practices in crop and food production is expected to contribute to improved food security within prisons and to the continued development of sustainable agricultural systems across the region.
