The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) has joined in the celebration of the 2019 edition of the annual World Egg Day.
The International Egg Commission (IEC), the founders of the World Egg Day was formed in order to give a global recognition to egg producers, promote and popularise egg consumption as part of a healthy balance diet.
IEC since 1996 has set aside the second Friday in October every year to celebrate the World Egg Day.
The objective of the World Egg Day is to increase awareness on the importance of egg consumption across the globe.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Eat your egg today and everyday”.
The Day is marked across the globe with series of activities such as promotional and educational broadcasts across Social Media platforms as well free eggs distribution amongst others.
NBSSI in a statement, said it recognised the efforts of the Ghanaian entrepreneurs in the Poultry industry and their contributions to the national economy in spite of the fragile nature of the poultry industry and the myriad of challenges the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the industry face in their daily operations.
Globally, the Poultry Sector is considered the fastest agricultural sub-sector, particularly in developing countries and also an important element in the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)1, which seeks to end poverty in all its forms as well as SDG Goal 2, which seeks to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
The Government of Ghana considering the contribution of the Poultry Sector to the national economy through NBSSI entered into a partnership with the Ghana Poultry Project (GPP) to increase the competitiveness of domestic production and processing of poultry meat and eggs in Ghana, the statement noted.
GPP also seeks to increase market share, improve profitability and expand the national and regional trade of the poultry products in the value chain, it added.
NBSSI to date, it revealed,through the support of GPP has reached over 1,500 poultry farmers and some poultry value chain actors across Ghana.
Through NBSSI a beneficiary has been able to raise $ 500.000.00 to expand his business.
GPP is being funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and it is being implemented by ACDI/VOCA and supported by Technoserve.
The Executive Director of NBSSI, Kosi Yankey-Ayeh wished all poultry farmers both locally and internationally, a memorable celebration and commends them for their effort in making the Poultry Sector a vibrant one, it noted.
She further reiterated NBSSI’s continuous support towards the development and sustainable growth of the Sector in Ghana.
BY Melvin Tarlue