The Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) has signed a formal agreement with Soneva Namoona to launch a collaborative initiative aimed at converting prison waste into agricultural fertiliser, representing a significant advancement for both environmental sustainability and rehabilitative justice. The programme builds on efforts to align correctional operations with ecological goals, and is structured through a Memorandum of Understanding with the non-governmental organisation, which specialises in sustainable waste management and ocean conservation.
The one-year agreement outlines specific roles and shared objectives designed to establish a system for repurposing prison waste that is both environmentally sound and economically productive. MCS officials stated that the fertiliser generated through this initiative will feed into agricultural activities already embedded within rehabilitation programmes, building on detainee-run farm operations currently active in correctional facilities.
To support the programme’s rollout, Soneva Namoona will supply equipment capable of processing multiple forms of discarded prison waste. The organisation will also lead technical training and deliver instructional workshops aimed at equipping correctional staff with the skills required for fertiliser production.
The memorandum was formally signed by Commissioner of Prisons Hassan Zareer on behalf of the Maldives Correctional Service. Representing Soneva Namoona, President Azhoora Ahmed endorsed the agreement as a strategic step toward shared environmental and social aims.