Ghana is on course to achieve full poultry self-sufficiency by 2029, Minister for Food and Agriculture Eric Opoku has announced. Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency in Accra on Monday, Mr. Opoku said the goal forms part of the Poultry Industry Revitalisation Initiative under the Feed Ghana Programme.
He outlined government’s annual targets: 12% self-sufficiency in 2025, 25% in 2026, 48% in 2027, 76% in 2028 and 104% by 2029. He added that the strong national response to the newly launched Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme suggests Ghana may even surpass these projections.
The minister underscored the urgency of revitalising the poultry sector, noting that Ghana spent US$400 million on poultry imports in 2024 alone. Reducing this import bill, he said, is crucial for job creation, economic stability, and food sovereignty.
To drive the sector’s growth, Mr. Opoku said government is fast-tracking the remaining two phases of the revitalisation agenda: the “poultry farm-to-table” initiative, targeting 50 anchor farmers, and a poultry intensification programme aimed at supporting 500 small and medium-scale farmers. These interventions, he emphasised, are designed to empower vulnerable groups, especially women-led households, and strengthen nutrition and income security in local communities.
As part of efforts to build a stronger value chain, the minister announced the establishment of a poultry processing factory in Bechem in the Bono Region.
Collectively, these interventions form a national strategy to cut Ghana’s dependence on imported poultry, create sustainable jobs for youth and women, ensure access to affordable protein, and reinforce resilience across the poultry value chain. Mr Opoku reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting both large-scale enterprises and smallholder farmers “to reclaim the domestic poultry market and secure Ghana’s food future.”
He stressed that agriculture must be viewed not merely as a way of life, but as a strategic business capable of driving employment, industrialisation, and national food sovereignty.
“This mandate is generational,” he said. “It is about transforming the fortunes of our farmers, empowering the youth, reducing import dependency, and ensuring that every Ghanaian child can access nutritious, affordable, locally produced food.”
