Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, John Dumelo, has revealed that the government will begin the distribution of birds under its flagship poultry initiative, the 'Nkoko Nkitinkiti' Programme, to constituencies across Ghana from mid-November.

According to the Deputy Minister, this distribution will mark the first phase of the programme, under which the government plans to distribute three million birds over time to beneficiaries and farmers.

He added that the distribution will include feed for selected participants to ensure the successful rearing of the birds.

Speaking on PM EXPRESS BUSINESS EDITION with host George Wiafe, recorded in Washington D.C., USA, on the sidelines of the annual IMF/World Bank Meetings, Mr Dumelo stated that “these birds will also be vaccinated, so beneficiaries can immediately begin their poultry farming.”

He further noted that the initiative will support a wide range of producers, from smallholders to household farmers.

Distribution Plan

Explaining the rollout plan, the Deputy Minister said the government is targeting the distribution of about 10,000 birds per constituency, which could see around 200 households receiving approximately 50 birds each.

He emphasized that the government will closely monitor the process to ensure the birds reach the intended beneficiaries.

“We believe that when people receive these birds, they can rear them in their backyards and make some money for themselves. This will go a long way to boost local production,” Mr Dumelo said.

He added that the government is committed to ensuring a transparent selection process that prioritizes individuals who are genuinely willing and able to make the programme successful.

“We should see this as an initial investment by the government. When the birds are ready and you sell them, use that money to buy new ones and continue,” he advised.

John Dumelo further stressed that the programme would target people with some knowledge of poultry farming, “because we don’t want these birds to die,” he said.

Reasons for the Programme

There have been concerns that the initiative could hurt existing poultry businesses. However, the Deputy Minister dismissed these fears, insisting that the programme is designed to support and strengthen local poultry production rather than compete with it.

“The government is not happy about the high import rate of chicken for consumption in Ghana, given its impact on foreign exchange and local employment. That is why we are implementing this programme,” Mr Dumelo explained.

He stated that the government aims to significantly increase domestic poultry production and reduce dependence on imports, which currently cost the country over $300 million annually.

Mr Dumelo added that “the programme could be a turning point for Ghana’s poultry industry, as it seeks to create jobs for rural youth and women, strengthen domestic feed and processing industries, and help stabilise prices in local markets.”

Food Security Concerns

The Deputy Minister also revealed that the government is collaborating with several agencies to ensure a consistent supply of food throughout the year.

This includes providing financial support to the National Food Buffer Stock Company to enable it to build sufficient reserves and manage stock effectively.

Mr Dumelo emphasized the need to move away from a system where food is abundant at certain times of the year and scarce at others, leading to fluctuating prices.

“The government is putting in place measures and initiatives to address post-harvest losses,” he assured.

He also noted that the Ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Youth and Sports on the implementation of the Youth in Agriculture programme, while encouraging other stakeholders to contribute to storage, processing, and value addition in food production.

“All these initiatives are aligned with our Feed Ghana programme, which aims to produce more food to feed ourselves and even export the surplus,” the Deputy Minister concluded.