Ghana’s poultry sector stands at a crucial point, with experts and stakeholders urging for greater support and patronage to unlock its full potential. Dominated by small to medium-scale producers, this sector is vital for providing affordable protein and generating employment across the nation.
The Ashanti, Bono, and Ahafo areas of Ghana are home to 40 sizable commercial poultry farms, as reported by statistics from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and the Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers (GNAPF). Notwithstanding this, the nation is the 24th largest poultry meat importer in the world, spending close to $254 million a year on imported poultry meat.
Despite its significance, the industry confronts many obstacles. The high cost of chicken feed, which accounts for almost 70% of production costs, is a major problem. For many farmers, feed prices are unnecessarily high due to their reliance on imported soybean and maize meal and the absence of feed mills in their area.
The production and quality of poultry products are adversely affected by insufficient infrastructure. There are instances when modern farms lack the cold chain logistics, effective waste management systems, and enough bird housing required to keep the meat at a high standard.
Getting finance is another significant obstacle. Small and medium-sized poultry farmers frequently find it difficult to acquire loans because of high interest rates and rigorous collateral requirements, which limit their capacity to grow their operations and invest in new technology.
The field of disease management is likewise seriously threatened. Disease outbreaks like as Newcastle disease and avian influenza are frequent made worse by subpar veterinary care and weak biosecurity protocols, which cause farmers to suffer significant financial losses.
To address these issues, the Agrihouse Foundation launched the Ghana Poultry Day initiative four years ago. This initiative aims to promote the consumption and support of locally produced poultry, raising awareness about the industry’s critical role in employment generation, food security, and economic growth. The Ghana Poultry Day event also highlights the nutritional and medicinal values of Ghanaian poultry, including lower toxin levels, reduced fat content, higher Vitamin D, anticancer properties, and lower cholesterol levels.
At the launch of the 4th Ghana Poultry Day, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, emphasized the importance of patronizing Ghana-produced poultry. She stated that encouraging Ghanaians to support the local poultry industry not only boosts the economy by keeping money within the country but also creates jobs and reduces the outflow of foreign exchange used for imports. Akosa also urged Ghanaians to engage in domestic poultry rearing and home gardening to enhance food security.
The upcoming Ghana Poultry Day, set for July 1, 2024, at the forecourt of the State House in Accra, will feature a dynamic program including a personality-advocate chef cooking competition. Participants such as MPs, footballers, ambassadors, queen mothers, media personalities, schools, and women farmers will prepare various recipes using local poultry products to be shared with the public for free. The event will also include town hall discussions and exhibitions.
In order to strengthen the industry, advocacy and promotion are essential, according to Dr. Comfort Acheampong, Chairperson of Ghana Poultry Day and Coordinator of the Ghana National Egg Campaign Secretariat. She urged everyone to work together to raise awareness and promote the purchase of locally produced poultry products, as doing so helps local farmers and lessens reliance on imports.
The 4th Ghana Poultry Day is organized by Agrihouse Foundation in partnership with the Ghana Tourism Authority and supported by various organizations, including the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH), the Ghana National Egg Campaign Secretariat, and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Key sponsors include Amas Farms, Labianca Company Limited, 10th September Spices, Agrogenics Ghana Limited, Maphlix Trust Ghana Ltd, the Ghana Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending Project, and Wilmar International.
