By: Henry Cofie Fordi
Poultry production in Ghana plays a crucial role in the agricultural sector, offering significant potential for economic growth, job creation, and food security. Despite challenges such as high feed costs, disease outbreaks, and competition from imported products, the sector presents numerous opportunities for innovation and growth. These opportunities can be realized through targeted policy support, capacity building, and the development of the poultry value chain.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and various reports from the Ghana Poultry Farmers Association, Ghana imports approximately 150,000 metric tons of poultry products annually. The value of these imports is often pegged at around $200 million to $300 million per year, depending on market conditions. This reliance on imports puts pressure on local farmers and strains the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
To reduce this dependency, the government of Ghana is focused on boosting local poultry production. One of the key initiatives in this effort is the Nkokɔ Nketenkete Project, which aims to ensure that domestic poultry production can meet national demand. The project is expected to cover fifty-five thousand (55,000) households, producing eggs and fresh poultry for the market. By doing so, it will help reduce the approximately $300 million spent annually on poultry imports.
The Nkokɔ Nketenkete Project presents a golden opportunity for Ghana to overhaul its poultry industry, making it more competitive, efficient, and sustainable.
While I commend this initiative, I hope its implementation will deliver the desired results and not follow the path of previous poultry projects that failed to generate interest, ultimately costing the state a significant amount.
The implementation of the Nkokɔ Nketenkete Project should be based on the strategies of successful poultry initiatives, such as the Pullet Outgrower Support Programme (POSP) introduced by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Ghana Poultry Project (GPP), and the Pullet Out-grower Project Scheme supported by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH under the Sustainable Employment through Agribusiness Programme (AgriBiz). Both projects were implemented in collaboration with the Apex Body of Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC-Apex Ghana). By incorporating the lessons learned from these successful initiatives, the Nkokɔ Nketenkete Project can achieve greater success and ensure sustainable growth.
Through the scheme, the Women in Poultry Value Chain Association received day-old chicks, feed, and vaccines, which they distributed to their members. The members raised the chicks to the pullet stage. At this stage, beneficiaries decided whether to sell them or keep them. However, they paid back the cost of the day-old chicks, feed, and vaccines to the Women in Poultry Value Chain Association and kept the profit. The association then bought a new set of day-old chicks and distributed them to other beneficiaries.
The initial phase of the Pullet Outgrower Support Programme (POSP), supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), saw the distribution of 4,500 layer day-old chicks, feed, and vaccines, with 500 chicks allocated to each beneficiary in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Brong Ahafo regions.
Beneficiaries also received training in key areas such as poultry health and biosecurity, husbandry practices, group dynamics, accounting, marketing, record-keeping, and egg cleaning and packaging. Additionally, networking and mentoring sessions were conducted, attracting numerous prospective farmers and resulting in the oversubscription of pullets.
Following the success of the initial phase, the Apex Body of Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC-Apex Ghana) expanded the program to additional beneficiaries after the initial group had sold and paid for their pullets. To widen the project’s coverage, GIZ – AgriBiz provided further support to WIPVaC-Apex Ghana to pilot the Pullet Out-grower Project Scheme in the Greater Accra Region. Beneficiaries were supplied with 2,000 day-old chicks, along with the necessary feed and vaccines for a production period of eighteen (18) weeks. A Poultry Management training session was also held for beneficiaries to ensure the success of the project.
Based on the success of the first pilot, the Association expanded to the Central Region after beneficiaries had raised the birds to the pullet stage, sold them, and repaid the cost of day-old chicks, feed, and vaccines to the association. With the funds received, the association purchased another 2,000 day-old chicks with accompanying feed and distributed them to a new group of beneficiaries in the Central Region. As part of its income-generating activities, beneficiaries pay a token fee to the association to help sustain its operations.
Given the program’s sustainability, GIZ – AgriBiz again supported the Apex Body of Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC-Apex Ghana) with an additional 4,000 day-old chicks, feed, and vaccines, which were distributed in the Eastern and Volta Regions. Beneficiaries of the previous husbandry training offered by GIZ – AgriBiz now serve as trainers for the newly rolled-out regions. Veterinary Officers within the catchment areas, some of whom are patrons of WIPVaC-Apex Ghana, supported the profiling of thirty (30) beneficiary farms to ensure that biosecurity measures are in place for successful implementation. The Apex Body of Women in Poultry Value Chain is expected to expand the program to additional beneficiaries.
Adopting programs like the Pullet Outgrower Support Programme (POSP) or the Pullet Out-grower Project Scheme and working with agribusiness associations such as the Apex Body of Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC-Apex Ghana) offers significant advantages in terms of scale, efficiency, sustainability, and impact.
Agribusiness associations provide a more coordinated approach, leverage collective resources, and offer a stronger foundation for project sustainability as well as market access. They also ensure that the benefits of projects are distributed broadly, leading to lasting positive change and improvement in the agricultural sector.
By implementing initiatives across a broader geographic area, agribusiness associations bring about systemic change rather than isolated successes.
Agribusiness associations are more likely to have the institutional capacity to manage and sustain a project once the initial funding or support phases are completed. As organized entities, they can provide ongoing support, technical assistance, and mentorship to their members, ensuring the long-term success and sustainability of project outcomes.
While the Nkokɔ Nketenkete Project holds great promise, its success will depend heavily on how well it is implemented. The government must act decisively and adopt the best strategies to ensure the project’s success. It must ensure that resources are invested wisely, best practices are followed, and accountability is prioritized. Only through these actions can we look forward to celebrating the success of this transformative initiative and the lasting benefits it will bring to the people of Ghana.
