Poultry farmers in the Ashanti Region are calling on the government to introduce a more structured and sustainable working capital support system under the “Nkoko Nkitinkiti” initiative to help stabilise and grow Ghana’s poultry industry.

According to the farmers, the sector remains fragile, with about 60 to 70 per cent of poultry producers struggling to sustain operations.

The call was made by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Poultry Farmers Association, Charles Kingsford Donkor, during an Innovative Poultry Solution Seminar that brought together industry players, experts, and farmers to discuss strategies for revitalising poultry farming in Ghana.

Presentations at the seminar focused on modern breeding techniques, methods for preserving hatchlings, and approaches to improve egg production through technology and efficient feed management.

Speaking at the event, Mr Donkor said the poultry industry has yet to recover from the setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The poultry industry is very fragile after the COVID-19 pandemic. Farmers haven’t been the same again since,” he noted.

While acknowledging the government’s ‘Nkoko Nkitinkiti’ programme as a positive step toward boosting local agriculture, Mr Donkor said inconsistent access to working capital remains a major obstacle for poultry producers.

“We need a more structured working capital under the Nkoko Nkitinkiti initiative to support production,” he emphasised.

He added that establishing a reliable working capital framework, supported by both government and private financial institutions, would significantly contribute to Ghana’s goal of achieving food self-sufficiency and reducing poultry imports.

The seminar was jointly organised by Agoro and Aquaculture, in collaboration with Intraco Ltd, Poultec, and Geldof.