Nkoko Nketenkete project begins as Ghana targets rapid poultry production
Three million birds expected to reach the market within six weeks
GHANA – President John Dramani Mahama has kicked off the Nkoko Nketenkete Project, a new government programme aimed at expanding poultry production by placing birds directly in households, schools and community spaces across Ghana.
The initiative plans to draw in 60,000 household farmers from all 276 constituencies, and officials say three million birds will be ready for sale in the next six weeks to increase local supply.
The project forms a key part of the Feed Ghana programme, which includes other interventions such as a poultry farm to table model and a food systems resilience scheme.
Government Eyes Reduced Poultry Imports
Speaking at the launch in Kumasi, President Mahama said the effort is aimed at restoring an industry that once supported rural incomes and provided an important source of protein nationwide.
He noted that Ghana spent more than US$350 million importing poultry in 2023, which he argued drained foreign currency and limited opportunities for local producers.
The President said the government sees the project as a national effort to improve food security, strengthen household livelihoods and raise participation among women, young people and vulnerable groups.
Under the scheme, each participating household will receive fifty birds along with feed and technical support to help sustain production.
Officials say the chosen breeds, which include pullets and cockerels, were selected for traits that make them suitable for Ghana’s environment and small scale rearing.
President Mahama added that the concept was tested earlier in 13 districts, where 13,000 households received birds and demonstrated that backyard poultry could contribute meaningfully to nutrition, employment and small agribusiness.
To support processing capacity, he announced plans for a new poultry plant in Bechem in the Bono Region, with ground breaking scheduled for next month.
The President said the future of the sector depends on active community involvement, and he urged traditional and religious leaders to mobilise support.
Long Standing Import Gap
Minister for Food and Agriculture Eric Opoku said the country’s dependence on imported chicken remained a major concern for policymakers.
He reported that from 1997 to 2022, Ghana brought in about 324,000 metric tonnes of chicken at a cost of nearly US$300 million from suppliers in the United States, Brazil, China and The Netherlands.
The minister added that only 15,000 metric tonnes were produced locally during that period, which he said shaped the decision to include Nkoko Nketenkete in the National Democratic Congress campaign commitments.
He said each constituency will receive about 10,000 birds under the project and that the pilot phase distributed guinea fowls and chickens to farmers in 13 districts.
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