The government has reiterated its dedication to launching the highly awaited ‘Nkoko Nkitinkiti’ Programme during the first week of October. This initiative aims to diminish Ghana’s significant dependence on imported poultry, which incurs an annual cost exceeding $300 million.
As part of the programme, the government plans to acquire 3 million birds for distribution. Each constituency will receive 10,000 birds at no cost, while 50 commercial-scale farmers will be allocated 80,000 birds.
Additionally, medium-scale farmers are anticipated to benefit, receiving between 1,000 and 3,000 birds each.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has stated that commercial and medium-scale farmers will need to reimburse the cost of the birds, whereas the allocations to constituencies will remain complementary for the recipients. The initiative is estimated to cost the government around GHC200 million.
At present, Ghana imports over 80% of its poultry requirements, a scenario the Ministry has labeled as unsustainable. Officials are optimistic that the Nkoko Nkitinkiti Programme will curtail imports, boost domestic production, and fortify the poultry sector to satisfy increasing demand.
The rollout was originally planned for July but faced delays, prompting concerns among poultry farmers regarding the absence of updates.
“It’s been promoted for a considerable time, but from our perspective, I am uncertain about what is causing the delay in the launch. What we seek is an update for farmer associations so we can plan accordingly. For example, if I raise my birds now, they will be ready in less than two months. However, the question remains, when they are fully matured, where will I take them?”
— Kwame Anim Somuah, President of the Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association
During a recent meeting, Minister of Food and Agriculture Eric Opoku reassured stakeholders that the programme is progressing as planned.
“Plans are currently in an advanced phase, and it is anticipated that during the first week of October, His Excellency the President will formally inaugurate the programme. The media will be invited to attend, following which distribution will commence across various constituencies. We are in the process of finalizing the list of beneficiaries and concluding procurement procedures with contractors. Implementation will begin shortly,” he stated.
