The ‘Hope from the Soil Project’ was launched in collaboration between the Probation Service of the Kırşehir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Faculty of Agriculture at Kırşehir Ahi Evran University and the Kırşehir Provincial Directorate of National Education. The project aimed to help those on probation acquire a trade, participate in production, reintegrate into society and prevent them from reoffending.

As part of the project, a ‘Greenhouse Vegetable Cultivation Course’ totalling 30 hours was organised for 15 individuals subject to probation. The theoretical part of the training took place at the Probation Directorate of the Kırşehir Courthouse. Participants were provided with information on the basic principles of greenhouse cultivation, as well as the incentives and support available to them in this field.

The practical training sessions for the course were held in the Ar-Ge greenhouse on our university’s premises. During the training, participants were taught about soil-based and soilless production systems, techniques used in protected vegetable cultivation, applicable cultivation methods, and the crops that can be grown under greenhouse conditions.

Oğuz Şükrü Ener, Chief Public Prosecutor of Kırşehir, said that the project aims to reintegrate ex-prisoners into society as new producers. Stating that they aim to help meet the demand for a skilled workforce in agricultural production, Ener said that, following the course, support would be provided to ex-prisoners wishing to build a new life, enabling them to acquire a trade and access new job opportunities.

Emphasising the importance placed on vocational training programmes to enable those under supervision to contribute to their families, society and the country, Ener noted that greenhouse vegetable cultivation had been added to the courses previously organised in line with the needs of Kırşehir and the country. Ener thanked the partner organisations contributing to the project and the staff of the Probation Service who were involved in the work.

Volkan Eren, Director of the Kırşehir Probation Service, said that the project had been devised to help those under supervision reintegrate into society and gain a trade. Stating that they hoped the course participants would become the skilled breeders the sector requires, Eren added that the project aimed to support the participants’ employment and economic development.

Eren, noting that participants who successfully complete the course and wish to work in the field of protected cultivation will be able to set up their own greenhouse businesses, stated that unemployment is one of the major challenges faced by ex-prisoners as they reintegrate into society. Eren noted that the aim is for participants to establish themselves professionally by producing crops in greenhouses, seedling production facilities or on their own land, and to contribute to their families’ livelihoods. He added that various forms of support are available from the government in this sector.

Prof. Dr Selahattin Çınar, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, stated that practical training sessions aimed at helping participants gain professional skills and develop their abilities were held in our University’s Ar-Ge greenhouse. Noting that the training covered both soil-based and soilless greenhouse production models, Çınar said that breeding programmes are ongoing for various vegetable varieties, particularly tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and aubergines.

Emphasising that they were carrying out research aimed at developing high-yielding, high-quality varieties resistant to diseases and pests, suited to the region and various parts of Turkey, Çınar noted that, as part of the project, participants were provided with practical knowledge on protected vegetable cultivation. Çınar stated that the technical staff working in the Ar-Ge greenhouse had helped participants to learn the basic practices of protected cultivation by providing them with information.

Associate Professor Dr Hakan Başak, a lecturer in the Department of Vegetable Cultivation and Breeding at the Faculty of Agriculture, also stated that the family farming model offers significant advantages in terms of both the national economy and individuals’ contributions to production and the family budget. Noting that they had explained to participants the opportunities that protected cultivation could offer in terms of gaining a profession and setting up one’s own business, Başak stated that the lack of a constant need for labour throughout the year in open-field farming constituted a significant disadvantage.

Pointing out that production can take place all year round in protected cultivation, Başak emphasised that this production model could contribute to generating a steady income and supporting the family’s livelihood.

The ‘Hope from the Soil Project’, carried out through inter-organisational collaboration, aimed to enable participants to become involved in agricultural production, acquire a trade, and gain the knowledge and skills needed to set up their own businesses in the field of protected vegetable cultivation.