By Murtala Issah
The European Union (EU) has donated 150,000 fully vaccinated poultry birds to support the government’s flagship Feed Ghana Programme. In a move aimed at reducing the country’s heavy reliance on imported chicken, the intervention, delivered through the EU-funded Food Security Response Project in Northern Ghana, is being implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).
About 3,000 farmers across six districts in the Savannah, Upper East and North East regions are to benefit from the programme, which is estimated to reach about 15,000 rural households. In addition to the birds, farmers are receiving feed and essential veterinary medication, alongside training and access to hatcheries to expand production sustainably.
Ghana currently spends between $300 million and $400 million annually on poultry imports. The government, through the Feed Ghana Programme, is targeting full self-sufficiency in poultry production by 2029.
The Head of Cooperation at the EU Embassy in Ghana, Silvia Severi, said the initiative reflects the EU’s commitment to strengthening agriculture and food systems in the country.
“The EU remains committed. Whether it is through this project, our €132 million EU-Ghana Agriculture Programme, or our broader Team Europe initiatives, we are here to build resilience together,” she emphasised.
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, emphasised that increasing local poultry production would help lower the cost of chicken and improve food security.
“Our aim is to make poultry more affordable to Ghanaians while providing sustainable income opportunities, especially for rural households,” he noted.
A Senior Regional Resilience Officer of the FAO in Ghana, Priya Gujadhur, added that beneficiaries have been equipped with practical poultry management and business skills.
“Empowering farmers to produce their own eggs and chicken promotes sustainability and builds resilience,” she said.
Beyond the Nkokonkitinkiti initiative, the EU Food Security Response Project, launched in September 2023, supports over 50,000 smallholder farmers impacted by global shocks, including the Russia–Ukraine war and climate variability.
