The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has disclosed that plans are underway to supply poultry to Members of Parliament as part of government’s efforts to promote local chicken production.
Speaking before Parliament’s Committee on Assurances, the Minister said the intervention forms part of the Nkokɔ Nkitinkiti programme, a flagship initiative aimed at increasing domestic poultry production and reducing Ghana’s dependence on imported poultry products.
According to Opoku, the programme is designed to encourage poultry rearing among households and farmers while supporting the growth of Ghana’s poultry value chain.
He, however, expressed concern over challenges affecting the implementation of the backyard poultry component of the initiative, noting that some beneficiaries have been consuming the birds instead of keeping them for breeding and commercial purposes.
The Minister said such practices undermine the objectives of the programme, which seeks to build sustainable poultry production capacity and improve food security.
He stressed the need for beneficiaries to adhere to the guidelines of the initiative by ensuring that the birds are properly reared to support expansion of local poultry production.
Hon. Opoku reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening the poultry sector through targeted interventions aimed at empowering farmers, creating jobs and reducing the country’s reliance on imported chicken.
