The Volta Region has declared its full readiness to roll out the newly launched Nkoko Nketenkete Initiative, a flagship component under the government’s Feed Ghana Programme designed to boost poultry production and enhance food security across the country.
According to William Dzamefe, the Regional Director of Food and Agriculture, the region has already made significant progress toward implementation, including the submission of names of selected holding farmers who will serve as key facilitators for the initiative.
Under the arrangement, each constituency in the region is expected to support the rearing of 10,000 birds, creating an integrated poultry production system that connects anchor farmers with smallholder producers.
Mr Dzamefe stated that these anchor farmers will serve as central hubs for raising chicks during their first four weeks before distributing them to other registered farmers within their constituencies. This system, he noted, ensures effective coordination, reduces mortality rates among the birds, and guarantees that production targets are met efficiently.
“The region is well-positioned and ready to take advantage of this project,” Mr Dzamefe emphasised. “We have the facilities, the farmers, and the market arrangements in place. Once the birds are delivered, production will begin immediately.”
He further revealed that a comprehensive marketing structure has already been established to absorb the birds once they reach maturity, eliminating post-production losses and ensuring steady income for participating farmers.
Describing the project as “a very good programme and a very good initiative,” Mr Dzamefe commended the President and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for the formal launch of the Nkoko Nketenkete Initiative. He expressed optimism that the programme would not only transform the poultry sector in the Volta Region but also empower rural farmers and contribute significantly to Ghana’s food security agenda.
The Nkoko Nketenkete Initiative forms part of the broader Feed Ghana Programme, which seeks to improve agricultural productivity, promote self-sufficiency in food production, and create sustainable livelihoods for farmers across all regions of Ghana.
By: Daniel Orlando/newsalertgh.com
