Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu has highlighted the collapse of Ghana’s poultry industry and emphasized the importance of the new ‘Nkukor Nkitinkiti’ policy aimed at revitalizing the sector and boosting agricultural production.
During a discussion on JoyNews’ Roundtable on March 12, centered around the 2025 budget, Kwakye Ofosu explained that the policy is part of a larger economic transformation agenda, which includes various agricultural initiatives.
“It is part of a programme that we call the agriculture or economic transformation agenda, which involves a lot of activities aimed at boosting agriculture,” he said.
Under this program, the government has introduced several initiatives such as the Feed Ghana programme, the Ghana Grains Development Project, and the Vegetable Development Project, alongside the ‘Nkukor Nkitinkiti’ Poultry Farm to Table project.
Kwakye Ofosu noted the severe state of the poultry industry, stressing that immediate intervention is necessary. “Incidentally, as we speak, the poultry industry has collapsed,” he remarked.
He clarified that the policy is more than just the distribution of chicks to farmers. “It is not just about having chicks given to you to go and raise to build a poultry farm on your own. We are going to help farmers who grow vegetables, those who are into grains, soya beans, rice, yams, cassava, and more. It is a broad, structured programme designed to support multiple agricultural activities,” he explained.
The government has allocated ¢1.5 billion Ghana cedis to fund the initiative. While some have raised concerns about the adequacy of the amount, Kwakye Ofosu expressed confidence that the policy will attract private investment.
“Eventually, those who have benefited initially will grow their capital to reinvest, and others who may have some capital but are unsure where to invest it will also come in because poultry is a lucrative venture,” he noted.
Kwakye Ofosu emphasized that agriculture remains a key pillar in addressing unemployment, a major national challenge. “We believe agriculture is one of the ways we can create jobs, especially in a situation where unemployment remains one of the biggest national problems,” he stated.
The ‘Nkukor Nkitinkiti’ policy is part of the government’s efforts to revive the poultry industry, strengthen the agricultural value chain, and create sustainable employment opportunities, while striving for food security and economic self-sufficiency.