The Chief Executive Officer of Rockland Farms, Edith Akosah Wheathland, has called for a 10- to 20-year legally backed national roadmap for Ghana's poultry industry, saying long-term policy certainty is critical to attracting investment, increasing local production and strengthening the country's food security.

Speaking on Joy Business' programme, Can Ghana Feed Itself? The Future of Poultry Beyond Akoko Nkoko Nkitinkiti, Ms Wheathland said the country's poultry industry required a coherent long-term strategy rather than short-term interventions if it was to become competitive and self-sustaining.

She commended President John Dramani Mahama for introducing the 'Nkoko Nkitinkiti' initiative, describing it as a positive step towards supporting poultry production.

However, she noted that the programme is largely targeted at smallholder and low-income farmers and should be complemented by broader reforms aimed at transforming the industry on a commercial scale.

According to her, one of the greatest obstacles facing the poultry sector is the absence of coordination among the various institutions responsible for regulating and supporting the industry.

"We need one coordinated national approach. Today, someone who wants to invest in poultry doesn't know whether to begin with the Ministry of Agriculture, FDA, EPA, Veterinary Services or the Ghana Standards Authority."

She said countries such as Brazil, Rwanda, Morocco and South Africa had successfully developed thriving poultry industries by implementing integrated national strategies instead of fragmented policy interventions.

Ms Wheathland stressed that meaningful transformation of the sector could only be achieved through policies that transcend political administrations.

"What we are talking about is not a three-year programme. We need a 10 to 20-year roadmap backed by legislation so that even when governments change, the direction of the industry remains the same."

She said such a roadmap should incorporate veterinary services, access to finance, infrastructure development, market expansion and other critical components under a coordinated framework involving government, financial institutions and private sector stakeholders.

According to her, a predictable policy environment would improve investor confidence and encourage financial institutions to increase lending to poultry businesses.

She observed that many banks remain reluctant to finance the sector because of policy uncertainty and the perceived risks associated with poultry production, adding that a clear and legally protected national strategy would help address those concerns.

Ms Wheathland said achieving poultry self-sufficiency would require a collaborative national effort involving government, financial institutions, private investors and producers across the poultry value chain, rather than placing the responsibility solely on farmers.