The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has urged beneficiaries of the government’s Nkoko Nkitinkiti initiative to treat the programme as a business venture by selling most of the birds they rear instead of consuming them.
Speaking on The Future of Poultry Beyond Nkoko Nkitinkiti on Friday, July 17, the minister said while beneficiaries are likely to use some of the birds for household use, they should prioritise expanding their stock and selling the rest to generate income and contribute to the growth of Ghana’s poultry industry.
According to him, the primary objective of the Nkoko Nkitinkiti project is to increase local poultry production and strengthen the entire poultry value chain, explaining that beyond increasing the number of birds, the government is focused on promoting processing and value addition to ensure poultry products move efficiently from farms to consumers.
He hinted on reliable market for producers as the biggest Challenge for Poultry business, stressing that value addition remains essential to transforming the sector.
However, to address this challenge, the government has commenced the establishment of the Nkoko Nkitinkiti Poultry Processing Centre in Bechem, following the launch of the backyard poultry project.
The facility, the Minister said, is expected to provide a ready market for poultry farmers, support value addition, and enhance the competitiveness of Ghana’s poultry industry.
“….You have been given the birds, and you are a human being, so you cannot leave them there and go to the market to buy chicken once you have it. So consume some, but don’t consume everything. See it as a business and as seed that can help you expand your poultry enterprise…In any case, what are birds raised for? Are they clocks to be fixed on the wall for people to look at? ”
The minister’s remarks reinforce the government’s broader efforts under the Nkoko Nkitinkiti initiative to increase domestic poultry production, promote the consumption of locally produced chicken, strengthen the poultry value chain and reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported poultry products.
