The Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) has entered into a formal partnership with Soneva Namoona to launch an innovative programme that will convert prison waste into agricultural fertiliser marking a major step forward for environmental sustainability and prisoner rehabilitation.

The initiative, formalised through a one-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), is designed to integrate sustainable waste management practices into the daily operations of correctional facilities.

It also supports the Correctional Service’s broader mission to align rehabilitative programmes with ecological responsibility.

Under the agreement, Soneva Namoona a local NGO known for its leadership in waste management and ocean conservation will provide specialised equipment to process various forms of waste produced in prisons.

The organisation will also lead technical training and host educational workshops to equip correctional staff with the skills needed for safe and efficient fertiliser production.

Officials from MCS noted that the fertiliser produced through this programme will be used in farming initiatives already in place within rehabilitation programmes, particularly those involving detainee-led agricultural activities.

The agreement was signed by Commissioner of Prisons Hassan Zareer on behalf of the Maldives Correctional Service, and by Azhoora Ahmed, President of Soneva Namoona.

Both parties welcomed the initiative as a shared step towards environmental and social progress.