Bogor Prison Converts Idle Land into Productive Farmland
Bogor Class IIA Prison is utilising the Pasir Jambu Assimilation and Education Facility (SAE) as a training ground for inmates. Those serving prison sentences are provided with opportunities to enhance their skills, knowledge, and practical work experience in the field of agriculture.
“The utilisation of land at SAE Pasir Jambu is not only intended to produce agricultural commodities but also serves as a medium for learning and rehabilitation for inmates,” stated the Head of Bogor Class IIA Prison, Raden Budiman Priatna Kusumah, in a statement on Tuesday (1/9/2026).
“We want to provide skills that they can utilise as preparation for life after completing their prison sentences,” Budiman added.
During the land cultivation process, inmates are taught how to clear land, process soil, plant, maintain crops, and manage agricultural yields. The crops planted include various food commodities and horticultural varieties.
“This utilisation is expected to not only provide economic value but also create productive and sustainable rehabilitation activities,” said Budiman.
In addition to providing farming knowledge and experience, Budiman noted that the prison guides participating inmates to learn discipline, responsibility, appreciation for process, cooperation, and independence. He noted that the success of the crops depends on the diligence of the inmates working the land.
“Plants must be consistently cared for before they can eventually produce something that can be harvested and utilised,” he said.
Budiman explained that the harvest will serve as a food source for the inmates. Looking ahead, he added that Bogor Class IIA Prison will ensure the continued use of the land.
It is noted that the Minister of Immigration and Correctional Services, Agus Andrianto, has initiated a Food Security concept within correctional institutions. At the start of his term, the Ministry of Immigration and Correctional Services faced a significant task following findings by the Audit Board of Indonesia (BPK) regarding the large amount of idle land left unutilised.
Minister Agus stated that these findings had been recurring since Immigration and Correctional Services were still under the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.
“We are faced with BPK findings that there is much idle land that we are not utilising. As we are a new ministry, we are conducting an organisational health audit to identify weaknesses, deficiencies, obstacles, and problems,” explained Minister Agus at the Blora Regent’s Pendopo, Central Java, on Saturday (29/11/2025).
Minister Agus explained that his efforts to resolve this issue are aligned with President Prabowo’s vision of achieving Food Security. He stated that the spirit of Food Security within the correctional system is being fostered, particularly among correctional units that possess significant idle land.
Even if technical service units (UPT) do not have large plots of land, they can still participate in Food Security through methods such as polybag cultivation or catfish farming.
Minister Agus explained that each region works with third-party vendors to provide basic food supplies for prisons. These food supply vendors are required to absorb at least five per cent of the output from the prison’s Food Security activities.
Thus, according to Minister Agus, the prison’s Food Security results will hold economic value, and the absorption of these products by vendors will generate revenue for the prison.
The income from Food Security activities is divided to support the welfare of both prison officers and the inmates participating in the programme. Furthermore, Minister Agus has established a regulation that food suppliers must be local entrepreneurs, aiming to stimulate micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the areas surrounding the prisons to ensure they feel the economic impact.