President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled an ambitious agricultural initiative aimed at making Ghana self-sufficient in poultry production within the
President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled an ambitious agricultural initiative aimed at making Ghana self-sufficient in poultry production within the next three years.
The plan, dubbed the “Nkokɔ Nkitinkiti Project,” is expected to significantly cut down the country’s dependence on imported chicken, which has long dominated the market.
The president made the announcement on Friday, September 12, 2025, during a visit to the National Service Authority’s Papao Farms in Accra, where he outlined the government’s strategy to revamp the poultry industry.
According to him, the project will establish a fully integrated poultry value chain — from the supply of day-old chicks and feed to farmers, to the processing and distribution of chicken under a local Ghanaian brand.
“Once the Nkokɔ Nkitinkiti project takes off, we believe that in three years, we’ll be producing almost 100% of the chicken that we eat in Ghana ourselves. So that we can stop bringing nkokɔfunu from outside. We don’t know how those chickens were raised,” President Mahama said.
Background
Ghana currently imports over $350 million worth of poultry annually, mainly from the United States, the European Union, and Brazil.
Imported chicken — often frozen and stored for months — is sold cheaply, undercutting local farmers who struggle with high feed costs, inadequate processing facilities, and limited market access.
For decades, local poultry farmers have called for government intervention to reduce imports and strengthen domestic production.
Successive administrations have introduced support schemes, but implementation challenges and limited infrastructure have hindered sustainability.
Health and Safety Concerns
President Mahama also raised health concerns about imported poultry, pointing to the use of genetically modified feed and growth hormones in some exporting countries.
“In many of those countries, they use genetically modified chickens. In many of the countries, they inject the chickens with hormones,” he noted, stressing that Ghana needs to promote healthier food options by supporting homegrown production.
The president emphasized that the Nkokɔ Nkitinkiti initiative goes beyond food security.
“We want fresh Ghanaian-grown chicken, so that our people can live a healthy life,” he said.
Youth Employment and Food Security
The project is expected to directly create thousands of jobs for Ghana’s youth, particularly in farming, processing, logistics, and distribution.
It also aligns with Mahama’s broader agricultural transformation agenda, which seeks to use the sector as a driver of industrialization and rural development.
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