Sierra Leone’s poultry sector has marked a major milestone with the unveiling of the Leecon Poultry Company/APMI parent stock farm and hatchery, a pioneering facility designed to revolutionize local poultry production. This flagship project, made possible through generous funding from the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), falls under the broader African Poultry Multiplication Initiative (APMI)—a program focused on increasing food security and supporting smallholder farmers across Africa.
In a recently released behind-the-scenes video, the Leecon Poultry Company takes viewers through an insightful walkthrough of its new hatchery operations. The video captures the complete journey of poultry production—starting with the parent stock and moving through to egg incubation, biosecurity protocols, vaccinations, and finally, the delivery of high-quality day-old chicks. This detailed process highlights the company’s dedication to maintaining global best practices in poultry farming, while ensuring that every chick delivered to farmers is healthy and genetically strong.
What sets the Leecon hatchery apart is not just its modern infrastructure and advanced technology, but the profound impact it is expected to have on the country’s poultry landscape. This is the first time in Sierra Leone’s history that such a comprehensive, fully integrated hatchery system has been established. For decades, local poultry farmers have relied heavily on imported chicks, which are often expensive and may not always be suitable for the local environment. The Leecon hatchery addresses these challenges head-on by breeding and supplying robust, locally adapted chicks that are well-suited to the Sierra Leonean climate and smallholder farming conditions.
The hatchery’s operations are guided by a strong focus on animal welfare, disease control, and genetic improvement. Specialized teams oversee every phase, ensuring that the breeding stock is properly selected and cared for, and that eggs undergo precise incubation processes. Once hatched, the chicks are carefully vaccinated and prepared for distribution, ensuring they reach small-scale farmers in optimal condition.
This initiative is also expected to spark a ripple effect in the local economy. By empowering smallholder farmers with reliable access to high-quality poultry stock, the project aims to increase meat and egg production, improve household nutrition, and create job opportunities within the agricultural value chain. Furthermore, it reduces the country’s dependency on poultry imports, saving foreign exchange and fostering local resilience.
Leecon Poultry Company’s partnership with APMI and QFFD reflects a forward-thinking approach to agricultural development—one that combines innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity. By investing in cutting-edge agricultural infrastructure and knowledge transfer, the project is not only transforming how poultry farming is done in Sierra Leone but also inspiring similar initiatives across the region.
As the hatchery begins full-scale operations, the future looks promising for poultry farming in Sierra Leone. The success of this project demonstrates what is possible when international support meets local ambition and vision. It stands as a beacon of progress, promising better livelihoods for farmers and a stronger, self-sufficient poultry industry for the nation.
