Kodjo Adams, Benedicta Qyaye
Accra, Nov. 13, GNA – Dr Bryn Acheampong, the Minister of Agriculture, says the government Poultry Intensification Project is aimed at making the country self-sufficient in five years.
The project, he stated, was to establish major poultry anchor farmers in the country so that they could, in turn also support the outgrower farmers to produce more.
Speaking at this year’s National Farmers Day, the Minister said the whole idea was to produce enough to feed the country in the next five years and as well export the rest.
He expressed worry about the low level of production, saying, “We produce about only five per cent of what we consume in the country at the moment.”
The project is in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, funded by the World Bank under the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP).
The scheme targets the production of approximately 2 million broiler birds on a yearly basis under a $12.5 million World Bank facility.
The project, he said, was to encourage the consumption of made-in-Ghana chicken since it was healthy and nutritious.
“The Ghanaian chicken does not have a lot of additives that help you store it for years. So if you compare the made-in-Ghana fresh chicken to the one that is imported, you realise that the quality of the Ghanaian chicken is strong for all of us,” he said.
He appealed to Ghanaians to switch their attention to chicken that is produced in the country to create employment and boost revenue.
“We are not producing enough to meet demand. But at least the ones that we are producing, we want Ghanaians to focus on it and then allow us to be able to scale up,” he said.
He said if the country produced enough of its food products, there would be no need for imports.
“Nobody is importing yam, maize, or soya in the country because we produce enough to feed the nation,” he said.
He commended all farmers for their efforts and hard work in feeding the population and beyond, assuring government support to improve the agriculture sector.
This year’s celebration is on the theme “Building Climate-Resilient Agriculture for Sustainable Food Security.”
The 40th edition emphasises the nation’s commitment to adapting agricultural practices in response to climate change challenges.
The celebration began with a five-day National Agricultural Fair, Agrifest Ghana 2024, from November 4 to 8, 2024, to showcase the diverse agricultural heritage of Ghana while providing a platform for knowledge sharing and innovation among farmers and stakeholders.
GNA