The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, has warned she will hold each Municipal and District Chief Executives responsible if the government’s flagship poultry revitalization initiative dubbed “nkoko nketenkete” under the broader Feed Ghana Program fails in their area.
The Minister charged MDCEs to take the program seriously, deploy the necessarily technical assistance to beneficiaries, monitor and ensure high survival rate and sustainability of the program to strengthen the poultry industry in general and to achieve food self-sufficiency and improved livelihoods.
Speaking at a brief handing over ceremony at the Eastern Regional Coordinating council on Tuesday, the Regional Minister said, the poultry sub-sector remains one of the most critical components of Ghana’s agricultural sector.
She said, beyond the nutritional and health benefits, the sector offers employment opportunities especially for women and the youth and holds immense potential to reduce the country’s over-reliance on imported poultry products and save valuable foreign exchange.
The Minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey cited a report by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, stating that, “Ghana consumes an estimated Four Hundred Thousand (400,000) metric tonnes of poultry annually. However, local production accounts for only about Fifteen Thousand (15,000) metric tonnes. This shows a huge gap between consumption requirement and supply.”
She said this significant gap has resulted in Ghana spending approximately Four Hundred Million United States Dollars (US$400 million) annually on poultry imports.
“This situation does not favour our local farmers and undermines the growth of our domestic poultry industry.It is in response to this challenge that His Excellency the President, as part of his Resetting Agenda, launched the “Nkoko Nkitinkiti” Initiative as a strategic intervention aimed at supporting farmers with birds and essential logistics to empower households, youth, and “Agripreneurs” to venture into poultry production”.
The Poultry Revitalization Project aims to rebuild confidence in the poultry industry, increase local poultry production as well as create sustainable employment opportunities and strengthen food security.
“Today’s distribution of birds is therefore not just a mere presentation of birds or chicks but we present to you sustainable investment in livelihoods; an investment in local enterprise, and an investment in Ghana’s economic resilience.When we strengthen local poultry production, we reduce imports. When we reduce imports, we protect our foreign exchange”.
The Minister therefore urge all beneficiaries to take good care of the birds, adhere strictly to bio-security and veterinary guidelines, maintain proper housing and feeding standards, and work diligently to grow your enterprises beyond the initial support provided.
“We expect to see these starter birds multiply into thriving poultry businesses that will serve the Eastern Region, and beyond. We want you to expand and employ others. We want to see your name among the Big Poultry Famers in Ghana and in Africa. We challenge you to go and increase”
On her part, the Eastern Regional Director of Agriculture, Hajia Abiba Yissif , the directorate worked tirelessly under difficult conditions to support Anchor farmers and their municipal and district chief executives to receive and manage the distribution of day-old chicks across the region.
“The challenges included logistical constraints in the delivery of chicks, delays in the supply of feed and vaccines, transportation difficulties in some farming communities, and mortalities recorded during and after transit”.
She recommended strengthened coordination among implementing partners, improved logistical planning for the delivery of chicks, feed and veterinary inputs, timely communication to districts and farmers, and enhanced support for monitoring and technical supervision at the district level.
“Addressing these issues will help ensure smoother implementation and greater impact in the coming phase and in subsequent years of the program” Hajia Abiba Yisif said.
Dean of MMDCEs, Ransford Owusu Boakye, who is MCE for New Juaben South assured that they will do everything possible to ensure the successful implementation of the program.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
