Government has launched the Nkokɔ Nkitinkiti Household and Backyard Poultry Production Initiative to benefit approximately 60,000 households nationwide.
Under the initiative, government will distribute 3 million birds across all 276 constituencies in the country, with each constituency receiving 10,000 birds.
In his remarks at the launch in Kumasi on Wednesday, President John Dramani Mahama said the initiative is a national movement and a courageous step towards restoring food self-sufficiency, strengthening household resilience and fostering sustainable livelihoods for Ghanaians, especially women, youth and vulnerable families.
“This initiative is more than just a government intervention, it is a national movement, a courageous step towards restoring food self-sufficiency, strengthening household resilience and fostering sustainable livelihoods for tens of thousands of Ghanaians,” he stated.
Each household participating in Nkokɔ Nkitinkiti will receive 50 birds, feed support and technical guidance to ensure the sustainability of their project.
The President explained that the breeds selected are pullets and cockerels chosen for their resilience, adaptability and high productivity under local conditions.
President Mahama revealed that Ghana spent over $350 million importing poultry products in 2023 alone, describing it as a drain on foreign exchange and a missed opportunity for farmers and entrepreneurs.
“We must and we will reverse this trend. The time has come for Ghana to reclaim the pride of producing, processing and consuming what we ourselves grow,” he declared.
The President disclosed that government’s long-term target is to increase Ghana’s poultry self-sufficiency from 12% today to over 75% by 2028.
He noted that before the national rollout, the program was tested in 13 districts, where 13,000 farmers benefited, demonstrating that backyard poultry is a transformative route to better nutrition, security, job creation and local agribusiness.
The Nkokɔ Nkitinkiti initiative is a flagship element of the Poultry Industry Revitalization Program, which is a key part of the broader Feed Ghana program for agricultural transformation, food sovereignty and shared prosperity.
President Mahama announced that under the Feed Ghana program, government is executing a three-pronged strategy to restore the poultry value chain from household level to commercial scale.
The strategy includes the Poultry Farm to Table project with 50 Anchor poultry farmers carefully selected across the country. Each of the 50 Anchor farmers will receive 80,000 birds, housing, logistics and technical support, and are expected to produce 4 million birds collectively.
Through the Food Systems Resilience Program, government is supporting 500 small and medium-scale poultry farmers across all regions to produce 3 million birds, bridging the gap between large-scale farmers and community-based producers.
The President announced that government will establish a modern poultry processing factory in Bechem in the Bono Region, with procurement processes already underway.
“Once operational, this facility will serve as a market for all the small and medium producers in the Bono, Ashanti and Bono East regions,” he said.
President Mahama disclosed that government will establish 270 farmer service centers to deliver mechanization inputs and extension support, expand veterinary and animal health services to safeguard the national flock, and operationalize an innovative agri-financing scheme to ensure affordable credit for poultry farmers.
He urged traditional and religious leaders to champion the initiative in their localities, encouraged women and youth to embrace the opportunity to build sustainable family businesses, and called on the private sector to invest boldly in hatcheries, feed mills, cold chain systems and processing plants.
“Together we can turn Ghana into a regional poultry powerhouse. The Nkokɔ Nkitinkiti Initiative represents more than poultry production. It embodies the spirit of renewal and self-belief,” President Mahama stated.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
