Ciangir Prison Develops Layer Chicken Farming, Producing 860 kg of Eggs Daily

Tangerang (ANTARA) - The Ciangir Class II B Prison in Banten has developed a layer chicken farming programme involving inmates, and is now capable of producing 860 kilogrammes of eggs per day.

Ciangir Prison Governor Soesanto Poedji Djatmiko said the production of broiler chicken eggs not only supplies the prison’s food requirements but is also marketed to a number of markets in the Tangerang and Jakarta areas.

“We also have a cooperation agreement to supply chicken eggs to hotels,” said Tanto, as the prison governor is familiarly known, during a visit to Ciangir Prison on Thursday.

He explained that the layer chicken farming operation, which has been running for less than a year, already has three cultivation houses. Each house contains three coops filled with 35,000 chickens, with plans to increase the flock to 60,000.

Each coop, he said, is managed by one inmate who is empowered to handle chicken feed and egg harvesting.

The inmates undergoing assimilation at the Ciangir Prison Assimilation and Education Facility have passed a rigorous assessment process by the Ciangir Correctional Centre.

“Currently, the prison houses 50 inmates, and tomorrow 20 more will arrive, bringing the total to 70 inmates,” Tanto said.

All inmates at Ciangir Prison are involved in the prison’s food security programme. In addition to layer chicken farming, the prison also develops sheep, cattle, free-range chicken, and fish farming.

Ciangir Prison initially had only 20 sheep. After a year and a half, the flock has grown to 85 sheep. During Eid al-Adha, 25 sheep were sold.

“We also marketed these sheep to sacrificial animal traders during Eid al-Adha. Some even came directly to us,” Tanto said.

Furthermore, Ciangir Prison also develops vegetable cultivation, including pakcoy, kale, cucumbers, aubergines, and rice, utilising 8 hectares of its 23-hectare land area.

Head of the Banten Regional Office of the Directorate General of Corrections, Lili, said the inmates placed at Ciangir Prison are those classified as minimum security who have served half of their sentence.

“So the inmates at Ciangir Prison come from various prisons in the Banten and Jakarta areas, those with minimum security status who have served half their sentence, and of course, have good behaviour with no record of violations,” she said.

She stated that the inmates’ involvement supports the President’s Astacita vision to achieve food security, in line with the accelerated action programme of the Minister of Immigration and Corrections, Agus Andrianto.

“Besides being trained in animal husbandry and agricultural skills, they also receive a premium,” Lili said.

Mukhriji (21), an inmate from Tangerang who has been placed at Ciangir Prison for two months, expressed his happiness at being able to participate in the food security assimilation programme.

He plans to continue sheep farming in his hometown after his release.

“I chose to be trained in sheep farming because coincidentally there is a sheep farm in my hometown, so I plan to use this knowledge after I am released,” Mukhriji said.

He admitted that from this food security programme, he has already earned a premium of Rp800,000 per month.

The premium money is partly saved as a nest egg for his release and partly used for daily needs in prison.

“I have been here for two months. The premium I receive is Rp800,000 per month,” he said.