By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Shama (W/R), Aug. 13, GNA – The Shama District Assembly has distributed about 9,000 broiler chicks to poultry farmers in the district under the government’s Nkoko Nketekete poultry development initiative.
“These 9,000 chicks represent an investment in your families and our local economy. The Government has played its part by providing the stock; it is now up to you, our hardworking farmers, to adopt good husbandry practices, protect them against disease and raise them into healthy, market-ready birds,” Mr. Paul Otis Dentu, the District Chief Executive said.
He commended President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government for prioritising agricultural development and interventions targeted at rural communities
The distribution, which took place at Asemasa Number Two during a community durbar, brought together beneficiary farmers, agricultural extension officers, traditional leaders and officials of the Assembly.
The initiative is aimed at boosting domestic poultry production, improving food security, creating jobs and increasing the incomes of farming households, while reducing Ghana’s dependence on imported poultry products.
The District Chief Executive urged the farmers to adopt good husbandry practices to ensure the success of the programme.
He stressed the need for proper management, strict hygiene, regular feeding and effective disease prevention to minimise mortality and ensure the birds reached marketable weight.
Mr Dentu said the District Directorate of Agriculture would provide technical assistance, vaccination support and regular monitoring to help farmers improve productivity and reduce losses.
The DCE said the initiative would help strengthen local poultry production by making quality chicks accessible to smallholder farmers and enabling them to expand their operations.
Some beneficiary farmers expressed optimism that the intervention would enable them to increase production, improve upon household incomes and create opportunities for young people interested in commercial poultry farming.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Mildred Siabi-Mensah
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