President John Dramani Mahama yesterday launched the Nkoko Nketenkete Initiative, a flagship government programme designed to revitalise Ghana’s poultry industry and promote household-level food production.
The initiative aims to bring poultry farming directly to the doorsteps of Ghanaians in schools, homes and communities across the country. Targeting 60,000 household poultry farmers across all 276 constituencies, the programme is expected to produce three million birds for the Ghanaian market within the next six weeks.
The Nkoko Nketenkete Initiative forms the flagship component of the government’s broader Feed Ghana programme, under which the poultry industry revitalisation project, farm-to-table scheme and food systems resilience programme are being implemented.
Launching the project in Kumasi, President Mahama said the time had come to restore Ghana’s once-thriving poultry sector, which was previously a major source of income for rural communities and a key contributor to national nutrition.
The President revealed that Ghana spent over US$350 million in 2023 on poultry imports, a situation he described as unsustainable and a missed opportunity for local farmers and entrepreneurs.
“This initiative is not just a government intervention; it is a national movement, a bold step towards achieving food self-sufficiency, strengthening household resilience, and creating sustainable livelihoods for tens of thousands of Ghanaians, especially women, youth, and vulnerable families,”
President Mahama stated.
Under the project, each participating household will receive 50 birds, feed support, and technical guidance to ensure sustainability. The selected breeds, pullets and cockerels are noted for their resilience, adaptability and high productivity under local conditions.
To complement production efforts, President Mahama announced plans for the construction of a modern poultry processing factory in Bechem, Bono Region, with the sod-cutting ceremony scheduled for next month.
He emphasised that the government’s vision for a revitalised poultry industry depends on the active participation of citizens, assuring that the state remains committed to providing an enabling environment for investment and growth.
“The future of Ghana’s poultry industry lies in our collective hands.
Government will play its part by empowering households, supporting farmers, and opening doors for private investment but it is the people who will make this vision thrive,”
the President added.
