The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has announced that the successful implementation of the first phase of the government's flagship Nkoko Nkitinkiti Programme has paved the way for the rollout of its second phase, which will focus on commercialising Ghana's poultry industry.

Speaking to journalists after briefing Parliament on the progress of the programme, the Minister described the household poultry production phase as a major success, saying the strong public response and positive outcomes have given the government the confidence to expand the initiative into large-scale commercial production.

He said the programme has demonstrated that Ghanaian households are ready to play a central role in rebuilding the country's poultry industry.

According to Mr. Opoku, the achievements recorded so far show that the programme is more than an agricultural intervention, describing it as a long-term strategy to transform the poultry sector, create jobs, improve household nutrition, reduce dependence on imported frozen chicken and conserve foreign exchange.

He noted that the transition to commercial production would help establish a self-sustaining poultry industry capable of meeting a significant share of Ghana's domestic demand.

The Minister further explained that the next phase would stimulate investment across the poultry value chain, including hatcheries, feed production, processing plants, cold-chain logistics, packaging, transportation and retail distribution.

He stressed that the programme forms part of government's broader import substitution agenda aimed at strengthening food security, revitalising rural economies and creating employment opportunities, particularly for women and young people.

Mr. Opoku expressed optimism that the commercialisation phase would mark a turning point for Ghana's poultry industry, reducing the country's heavy reliance on imported chicken while retaining more value within the local economy.

He said the success of the first phase provides a solid foundation for building a competitive poultry industry capable of driving industrial growth, economic resilience and sustainable national development.