Presentation of the Social Farming 360° Results
A Press Conference presenting the full impact of the pioneering social farming programme Social Farming 360° was held on 17 June 2026 at the Ministry of Citizen Protection, in the Pavlos Bakoyannis Hall, with the participation of the Secretary General for Anti-Crime Policy and representatives of the implementing organisations.
Social Farming 360° was a complex and multi-layered programme that meaningfully connected sustainable agricultural production, food security, and social reintegration, serving as a vehicle for empowerment for incarcerated individuals and correctional communities.
The programme was implemented by New Agriculture New Generation, with the full support of the Citi Foundation, in close collaboration with the General Secretariat for Anti-Crime Policy of the Ministry of Citizen Protection, and with the participation of ActionAid and Pyli Eleftherias (Freedom Gate).
The Programme’s Impact
The programme was implemented between January 2024 and December 2025 across six correctional facilities in Greece, recording 1,081 participations and 648 hours of training, while 696 ACTA professional certifications were awarded. At the same time, hundreds of incarcerated individuals participated in employability and psychosocial empowerment activities.
During the Press Conference, the programme’s main pillars, methodology, and results were presented, along with its contribution to establishing a successful model of socially beneficial agriculture within Greek correctional facilities.
A central pillar of the programme was regenerative agriculture, incorporating practices aimed at improving and maintaining soil health while promoting a more resilient and sustainable production approach. Particular emphasis was also placed on the connection between education, employability, and psychosocial empowerment.
Remarks by the Secretary General for Anti-Crime Policy
The event opened with remarks by Aris Perris, Secretary General for Anti-Crime Policy, who praised both the significance of the programme and the success achieved through the close cooperation of the participating organisations. Mr Perris also stressed that the programme helped equip incarcerated individuals with skills that will support their successful reintegration into society.
Remarks by the Citi Foundation
Representing the Citi Foundation, Aimilios Kyriakou, CEO and Head of Corporate Banking for Citi Greece, Cyprus & Malta, highlighted that Social Farming 360° was an especially innovative programme, selected alongside 50 other initiatives from around the world.
“The Social Farming 360° programme puts into practice the priorities of the Citi Foundation: identifying solutions to the needs of the communities where we operate, helping improve people’s lives, and creating opportunities for economic progress. By providing individuals in agricultural correctional facilities with the tools and skills needed to cultivate the land, the programme offers a meaningful future perspective, self-confidence, and the hope of reintegrating into society with dignity.”
Remarks by Effie Lazaridou
Effie Lazaridou, CEO of New Agriculture New Generation, spoke about the challenges that had to be overcome in order to successfully implement the programme and the vision it was designed to serve through the use of social farming as a reintegration tool.
“Through the programme, participants were given the opportunity to acquire a different perspective, a new way of living and interacting with both their natural and social environment and, why not, to dream once again of a new beginning in their lives.”
The Contribution of ActionAid
Eva Polyzogopoulou, General Director of ActionAid Greece, spoke about the organisation’s role in the employability component of the programme and the importance of preparing individuals early for their reintegration into society.
“For ActionAid, social reintegration does not begin on the day of release, but much earlier. Our experience shows that the greatest barrier is not the lack of abilities, but the lack of access to opportunities. By providing Job Search Counselling services, we ensure that individuals are prepared to re-enter society. Since 2017, through the Community Centre we operate in Athens, we have supported more than 11,000 people. Through our contribution to Social Farming 360°, we had the opportunity to bring this experience into correctional facilities, providing participants with the tools and support they need for a new beginning.”
Education and Regenerative Agriculture
During the second part of the Press Conference, Dimitris Voloudakis, Programmes Director at New Agriculture New Generation, delivered a presentation focusing on the educational component of the initiative, with sustainable agriculture at its core, as well as on the programme’s results and the multiple benefits it generated for participants and correctional facilities.
Particular emphasis was placed on the role of regenerative agriculture as a central pillar of the programme, through practices aimed at improving and maintaining soil health and fostering a more sustainable production culture.
Psychosocial Support and Personal Empowerment
Representing Pyli Eleftherias (Gateway to Freedom), Elli Tsiouri highlighted the role of psychosocial support for incarcerated individuals, the psychoeducational process, and its importance in ensuring the programme’s holistic approach.
She noted the strong interest shown by participants, who spoke very positively about their experience and, in fact, expressed a desire for more sessions to be offered.
Reintegration Stories and Knowledge Transfer
Ilias Benekos, Agronomist at the Ministry of Citizen Protection, underlined the importance of the collaboration between correctional facility agronomists and the trainers of the Social Farming 360° programme, as well as the practical transfer of new cultivation practices to programme beneficiaries.
He also shared experiences from correctional facilities and success stories of participants who managed to reintegrate into society by applying the knowledge and skills acquired through the programme. Furthermore, he emphasised the importance of the training certificates obtained by many participants, which constitute a valuable asset for future employment opportunities.
The Social Farming 360° Documentary
As part of the event, attendees were shown a trailer for the short documentary created for the programme, which is expected to be published soon on the official YouTube channel of New Agriculture New Generation.
The documentary further highlights the programme’s contribution to connecting agricultural education with social cohesion and reintegration, demonstrating that social farming can serve as an effective mechanism for social change.
Acknowledgements
New Agriculture New Generation would like to thank all those who contributed to making this programme a reality: the directors and agronomists of the correctional facilities, the trainers and staff of the organisations involved in implementation, and, of course, the programme beneficiaries themselves, who embraced the initiative and made the most of the opportunities it offered.
Read more about the Social Farming 360° programme here.
