In a bold agricultural strategy, President John Dramani Mahama has outlined a plan to achieve 100% local chicken production in Ghana within the next three years.
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The announcement forms part of the broader Feed Ghana initiative, which aims to transform the poultry sector, improve food security, cut down on import bills, and create jobs.
The Context: Why Local Chicken Production Matters
Ghana has long been heavily dependent on imported chicken—both frozen and fresh—to meet domestic demand. The import bills run into hundreds of millions of dollars annually, placing strain on foreign exchange and squeezing domestic producers.
President Mahama described the level of importation as “unsustainable,” calling it a drain on national resources and a demotivator for local poultry farmers. Under his administration’s vision, Ghana will reverse this trend, bolster its poultry value chain, and empower local farmers to meet the country’s protein demands.
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Key Components of the Poultry Revitalisation Plan
Several flagship components underpin the President’s roadmap to achieving total local production:
- Nkoko Nketenkete Project: This will register 50 anchor farmers who will be supported to produce 4 million birds annually—a production volume equivalent to 10,000 metric tonnes of chicken meat.
- Household Poultry Initiative: A complementary project aims to enlist 55,000 households, each rearing 500 birds annually, contributing over 1 million birds in total output. This initiative is designed not only to increase supply, but also to improve income generation, especially among rural and smallholder families.
- Value Chain Strengthening: The plan includes investments in hatcheries, feed mills, veterinary services, and processing plants. These infrastructure improvements are critical to ensuring quality, consistency, and scalability of production.
- Feed Production & Local Inputs: Recognising that feed cost is one of the biggest barriers, the government is working on increasing local maize and soya production. Improved access to quality feed, better seed varieties, and support for feed mills will be central to the effort.
Expected Impacts: Economy, Food Security & Jobs
If successfully implemented, the 100% local chicken production goal is projected to have far-reaching effects:
- Reduced Importation: With higher domestic production, Ghana expects a major drop in chicken import bills. This will save significant foreign exchange and strengthen agricultural self-sufficiency.
- Job Creation: Anchor farmers, hatchery workers, feed mill operators, and processing plant staff will see increased opportunities. The household initiative in particular is expected to empower many women and rural households through poultry farming income.
- Affordable Poultry Products: Local production means shorter supply chains, less dependency on global logistics and import costs. This could lead to more stable poultry prices, benefiting consumers.
- Nutrition & Health: Increased availability of fresh poultry products locally could improve dietary protein access, particularly for schoolchildren, households, and communities with limited access to meat.
Requirements for Success
While the vision is bold, several challenges must be addressed to make it a reality:
- Feed Supply & Cost: Feed remains the largest cost input for poultry production. Ensuring a reliable and affordable supply of maize and soya is crucial.
- Financing & Credit Access: Many smallholder farmers cannot afford upfront costs for housing, veterinary care, and day-old chicks. Access to affordable loans and grants will be essential.
- Processing & Infrastructure: Cold chain facilities, processing plants, slaughterhouses—all need expansion or upgrading to handle higher volumes.
- Regulation and Quality Control: To gain consumer trust, local poultry must meet hygiene, health, and biosecurity standards.
- Competition from Imports: Imported chicken often benefits from economies of scale, subsidies, or lower production costs elsewhere. Local producers will need protection, incentives, or phased import restrictions to level the playing field.
Over the next three years, the government of President Mahama will need to:
- Roll out Ashore Support for the 50 anchor farmers and household poultry program.
- Invest in feed mills, hatcheries, and veterinary services early on to address production bottlenecks.
- Introduce policy and regulatory reforms, such as import restrictions or duties on frozen chicken, to protect local industry.
- Mobilize financing and credit schemes specifically tailored for poultry farmers.
- Monitor and evaluate progress annually to measure whether production targets are being met.
President Mahama’s target to achieve 100% local chicken production in three years is an ambitious and transformative policy. If successfully implemented, the plan could reshape Ghana’s poultry sector, reduce import dependence, boost rural livelihoods, stabilize poultry prices, and enhance food security.
The coming years will be crucial. Success depends on concerted action from government ministries, poultry associations, farmers, private investors, and international partners. Ghanaian consumers and producers alike will watch closely as this poultry revolution unfolds.
