Ghana plans to start buying chickens and special cages for people who want to raise birds at home. Eric Opoku from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture said the government will begin the Nkoko Nkitinkiti program within two or three months. Officials want to help 55,000 families start making eggs and chicken meat for their communities. The country spends about 300 million dollars every year buying chicken from other nations. This new program should cut down how much money Ghana sends overseas for food.
Opoku spoke about these plans during a farming event held at the weekend. He explained that workers are already starting to order the birds and cages that families will need. The minister said they will test the program with just a few people first before giving it to everyone across the country. Government leaders found about 50 big chicken farmers who could each handle around 80,000 birds at once. These farmers might be able to make four million chickens for local markets if they receive money to help them.
The country eats around 400,000 tons of chicken each year but makes just 15,000 tons at home. Opoku said Ghana cannot stop buying chicken from abroad until local farmers make at least 80 percent of what people eat. He asked citizens to buy more products made locally instead of choosing items from other countries. The minister warned that buying foreign goods takes jobs away from Ghanaian workers.
Opoku spoke about these plans during a farming event held at the weekend. He explained that workers are already starting to order the birds and cages that families will need. The minister said they will test the program with just a few people first before giving it to everyone across the country. Government leaders found about 50 big chicken farmers who could each handle around 80,000 birds at once. These farmers might be able to make four million chickens for local markets if they receive money to help them.
The country eats around 400,000 tons of chicken each year but makes just 15,000 tons at home. Opoku said Ghana cannot stop buying chicken from abroad until local farmers make at least 80 percent of what people eat. He asked citizens to buy more products made locally instead of choosing items from other countries. The minister warned that buying foreign goods takes jobs away from Ghanaian workers.
