The government’s flagship poultry revitalisation programme, 'Nkoko Nkitinkiti' (Twi for small-scale poultry), is expanding into the education sector as part of efforts to improve nutrition under the School Feeding Programme.

The initiative, which represents a national effort to restore food self-sufficiency, strengthen household resilience and create sustainable livelihoods, was featured at a nutritional workshop for school feeding caterers in the Greater Accra Region.

Officials from the National Broiler Project Secretariat at the Office of the Minister of State in Charge of Special Initiatives participated in the event, where chicken produced under the broiler redevelopment programme was supplied to caterers.

The move introduced participants to premium, locally produced chicken while demonstrating its versatility and superior quality for school meals.

Kelvin Ocran, National Coordinator and National Broiler Project Secretary at the Office of the Minister of State in Charge of Special Initiatives, said the programme prioritises children’s health by ensuring the supply of quality poultry products.

"We believe that healthy children start with healthy, locally sourced food. That’s why we were thrilled to join hands with the Greater Accra School Feeding Coordinator and the amazing cooks who fuel the future of our nation.”

Mr Ocran explained that the engagement forms part of a broader strategy to channel and supply schools with organic, healthy and locally produced chicken.

“By working directly with the school feeding programme, we are not only ensuring our children get the best nutrition but also empowering our local farmers and reducing our reliance on imported poultry.”

He further encouraged stakeholders to support the initiative, stressing that the programme seeks to build a sustainable future, one healthy meal at a time.

'Nkoko Nkitinkiti'

'Nkoko Nkitinkiti' is a flagship agricultural initiative launched by the Government of Ghana in November 2025.

Under the broader Feed Ghana Programme, it aims to revitalise the domestic poultry industry, improve food security, and reduce the country’s high annual expenditure (over $300 million) on imported chicken.

Key Objectives and Components:

• Import Reduction: Aims to cut down Ghana's massive chicken import bill and save foreign exchange.
• Job Creation: Targets economic empowerment for approximately 55,000 households and thousands of young people nationwide.
• Health and Safety: Promotes "fresh Ghanaian-grown chicken" over imported options that may use growth hormones or GMOs.
• Two-Pronged Approach:
  • Anchor Farmer Programme: 50 commercial farmers aim to produce 4 million birds annually.
  • Household Initiative: Distributed to everyday spaces like homes and schools, where individual households raise smaller batches of birds (e.g., 50–500 per year). 

Implementation Details

• Beneficiary Support: Participants receive essential inputs, including day-old chicks, high-quality feed, and veterinary services.
• Infrastructure: The government is establishing Farmer Service Centres in agricultural districts and plans to build modern processing plants, such as one in Bechem, Bono Region.
• Current Progress: As of February 2026, the programme has begun distributing birds in regions like Ashanti, with targets to scale production to over 7 million chicks.