President John Mahama in a symbolic presentation at the launch of the initiative
PRESIDENT JOHN Mahama has officially launched the ‘Nkoko Nketenkete’ Household and Backyard Poultry Production Initiative, which seeks to boost local poultry production and reduce importation of chicken.
Speaking at the launch in Kumasi, President Mahama expressed concern over the huge amount of money used to import chicken annually, stressing that this new policy would help curb it.
He disclosed that in “2023, the country spent $350 million to import chicken”, saying the country’s over dependence on imported chicken to feed the citizenry, is rapidly draining the national coffers.
Giving statistics, he said currently, “only 12 percent of chicken that are consumed by Ghanaians is produced locally”, adding that the government is targeting to increase it to 75 percent by 2028.
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As part of the Nkoko Nketenkete initiative, a total of 3 million vaccinated birds, would be distributed freely, with each constituency receiving 10,000 birds with feeds for rearing for profit.
In all, 60,000 households in the country have been selected to get the free birds for rearing, with each house getting 50 birds. The programme has already been piloted in 13 districts with 13,000 beneficiaries.
President Mahama therefore appealed to the citizenry to support the Nkoko Nketenkete initiative, which is part of the poultry industry revitilisation programme, and also patronise chicken that are reared locally to help boost the local economy.
The President announced that plans are in the pipeline for the construction of a modern poultry processing factory in Bechem in the Bono Region, indicating that his government is indeed committed to helping to revive the local poultry industry.
Minister of Agriculture, Eric Opoku, said, “Backyard poultry, globally, has been accepted as a major tool for poverty alleviation, women empowerment and national food security.”
He thus appealed to Ghanaians to support the policy by purchasing local chicken, saying “We are feeding Ghana so you should also eat Ghana”, noting that everyone should be ambassador for the policy since it’s has the potential of boosting the local poultry industry.”
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah & David Afum, Kumasi