The Deputy Minister in charge of livestock, Hon. Alhaji Hardi Tufeiru, has revealed the relevance of the Agrihouse initiative “the Ghana Chicken Festival as a means of enhancing local poultry consumption, dependence on imported chicken to enhance the country’s self-reliance.
Hon. Tufeiru stated that the government is striving to achieve all success needed for the agriculture sector and poultry is not an exception in the picture. Since 2019, the government has been making all the necessary efforts to improve local production, and encourage local poultry consumption to curtail import by introducing the policy called “Rearing for Food and Job”.
“The efforts of Agrihouse are in the right direction with the government’s objectives of the Rearing for Food and Jobs initiative under the flagship program (Planting for Food and Jobs) that seek to promote the consumption of local chicken, increase the number of local producers and consequently enhance poultry business along the poultry value chain”, the Deputy Minister said.
“In my observation, the festival which is 3 years old is already proving itself to be an initiative meriting our attention and support. The festival in the past 2 years has had over 650 participants and has successfully disseminated the knowledge that our local chicken is healthier due to less fat and possessing great amounts of vitamin D”, he added.
Speaking to Agric Today, Hon. said the ultimate aim is to seek to make Ghana self-sufficient in food production. Supporting efforts of organizations such as the Agrihouse Foundation is an encouraging indication that there are still visionary partners to join hands with in pursuit of our goal of making Ghana a Food-Sufficient Nation. “This government will continue to strive to fulfill its plans and intentions to achieve food self-sufficiency in all areas of Agriculture including poultry”.
Poultry production has a great value for the country in Ghana’s economy, accounting for about 14% of the Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In Ghana, Chicken continues to be the main source of protein preferred by consumers and provides employment to a greater proportion of the population, Nene Davis Korboe, the Chairman of the Ghana National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association added said.
In a report by Solidaridad in 2022, he explained, the National demand for chicken is about 400,000 metric tons with local production meeting only 14% of the demand. Frozen chicken imports account for about 45% of the demand and the remaining 41% is recorded as a shortfall.
“Over the last decade, the share of the imports in the domestic consumption of chicken has increased and that was however, due to increase in feed prices, lack of quality inputs, absence of quality local hatcheries and vaccines have led to a high cost of poultry production such that local farmers are not able to meet consumer preference and compete with imported chicken”, Chairman Korboe said.
He called on the general public to rally behind the initiative to promote local production, and consumption to attenuate the importation of chicken to strengthen the country’s balance sheet.
Explaining the nutritional benefit of poultry, the National President of the Ghana Poultry Farmers Association (GPFA), Mr. Victor Oppong who served as the chairman for the launch said there an essential nutrient from poultry foods to the body and these comprise protein, vitamins, carbohydrates, antioxidants, minerals, and many more, but protein happens to be one of the most important nutrient needs when it comes to people aging.
Considering the economic drive, poultry has the potential of creating jobs which means wealth in return. Poultry is capable of creating over one million jobs along the value chain to mitigate the unemployment challenges confronting the country for decades.
“Ghana has been dependent on frozen chicken for decades and in 2021, about six hundred (600) metric tons of chicken were imported into the country which amounts to a value of approximately $600m. This development signifies exportation of job opportunities as well as pressure on the exchange rate which could have impacted the economy positively”, he bemoaned.
He called on the stakeholders of the agricultural fraternity and the general public to fully take part in the upcoming Ghana Chicken/Poultry Day on the 1st of July, 2023 to position the industry to the needed level of economic recovery and food independence.
Comfort Acheampong, the chairperson for the Ghana Egg Secretariat Planning Committee added that there used to be Ghana Poultry Day started during the Ghana Poultry Project (GPP), funded by the United States government in Agriculture, the USDA for five (5) years.
To reiterate this, it is critical to set aside a unique day where all kinds of chicken would be displayed, especially the local types of chicken.
“We want Ghanaians to know that Ghana had poultry long before we even were born, and then as time unfolds the frozen chicken stepped in with tight race. We must come together as one people with one motive to set a date for the Festival”, she urged.
The Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation Alberta Akosa commended the government and the general public for the patronage and urged the government to recognize the day that is set for the festival to be celebrated nationwide.
She recounted several achievements made by the Foundation and is optimistic that this initiative would be successful like other initiatives and noted that the Foundation for the 3rd time is organizing its annual chicken festival but making it bigger and leaving a mark on the National walls of memories that is scheduled for the 1st day of July 2023 at the forecourt of the Statehouse in Accra.
