The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has revealed government plans to officially roll out the ‘nkoko nkitinkiti’ programme in October.
The ‘nkoko nkitinkiti’ programme was originally scheduled to be launched in July with a pilot phase, but was postponed due to limited consultation and engagement.
The Mahama government’s nkoko nkitinkiti project goal is to reduce Ghana’s import dependence on poultry products, especially chicken and eggs.
The project also seeks to create sustainable employment opportunities for young people.
Eric Opoku has reassured poultry farmers that the revised launch date would be honoured.
Speaking to the media after the launch of the second phase of the West Africa Livestock Marketing Programme (PACBAO), Eric Opoku stated, “Plans are at an advanced stage, and it is expected that by the first week of October, His Excellency the President will officially launch the programme.
The media will be invited, after which distribution will begin across various constituencies to reach beneficiary farmers. We are finalising the beneficiary list and completing procurement processes with contractors to supply the birds. Very soon, implementation will take off,” he stated.
The Agric Ministry aims to save foreign exchange, but also to create sustainable jobs.
Eric Opoku, speaking in an earlier interview at the three-day AgriFair, stated, “Nkoko Nkitinkiti is just one of the three major programmes under the Feed Ghana initiative. We are in the process of procuring birds and battery cages for distribution to households.
But even before full procurement is complete, we’re launching a small-scale pilot next month in the north to assess how the programme performs at scale,” the Minister stated.
He further revealed that twelve districts in the Northern Region have been selected for the pilot rollout.
“We’ve selected about 12 districts for this pilot phase, which will run for four months. Within two to three months, we plan to fully roll out the Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme nationwide,” he added.
The nkoko nkitinkiti project will benefit a projected 55,000 households nationwide, boosting employment in the agricultural sector.
Additionally, Eric Opoku rejected calls for the immediate restriction of the import of chicken.
He argued that the current consumption rate, hovering over 400,000 metric tonnes, would be detrimental to making such a decision.
He asked: “When you look at the poultry sub-sector, for instance, our consumption as a nation is estimated at around 400,000 metric tonnes, but production is around 15,000 tonnes. So, how do you place a ban on the importation of poultry products?”
“We are now working to increase poultry production. If we are able to increase our production level to, let’s say, 80 per cent, then we can place a ban to protect local producers. So, the first thing we have to do is to put in place mechanisms to increase production and productivity.”
He further expressed concern over Ghanaians’ taste for foreign goods as compared to locally produced ones.
Eric Opoku added, “When you look at the farmers’ produce, the processors have added value. But the Ghanaian consumers will go to the market and then choose the foreign product against what is produced here. If you do that, your expenditure is creating jobs elsewhere, whilst your own people are suffering”.
“So, what we must do now is to get our people to understand that every expenditure that is made on the Ghanaian-made products will go to increase job opportunities for our own people,” he urged.
Meanwhile, former Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Dr Peter Otokunor, in opposition, revealed that, due to poor agriculture policies, the erstwhile Akufo-Addo government allowed the importation of eggs from China.
According to him, due to the high importation of eggs allowed by this government from China, the majority of Poultry Farmers have lost their home in the business.
He shared that due to the high importation, poultry feeds have become too expensive to afford so the majority of Poultry farmers are now leaving the business.
On the back of that, he emphasised why Ghanaians should embrace the NDC’s ‘nkoko nkitinkiti’ policy.
Dr Peter Otokunor mentioned that the policy will drive the poultry farming business into its lucrative nature and will be attractive to the youth to join.
He also added that, under the policy, the government will buy day-old chicks for Poultry Farmers to be able to rear and make a means out of it.
