Under a hot sun at Jubilee Park on Wednesday, President John Dramani Mahama unveiled the Nkoko Nketenkete poultry scheme, a bold, nationwide push to revive domestic chicken production and broaden livelihoods from household backyards to commercial farms. The headline pledge: a nationwide distribution that will see each constituency supplied with 10,000 day-old chicks as part of a three-million-bird procurement plan.
The government frames the programme as both a nutrition and jobs intervention. Officials say the rollout will include chicks, feed, and vaccines, and will support producers at different scales from householder backyard keepers to medium and large commercial farms with the stated aim of reducing import dependence and raising incomes in rural communities. At the launch, Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku joined the President to underline guarantees for market purchase and technical support as part of a coordinated value-chain push.
For many smallholders, the promise is immediate and tangible: a few dozen chicks can become an ongoing source of protein and cash, lowering household food bills and creating a buffer against economic shocks. Proponents argue that widespread backyard rearing, if coupled with training in husbandry, vaccination, and biosecurity, could rapidly swell domestic supply and chip away at the estimated litany of poultry imports that once drained foreign exchange.
But the plan has provoked caution among industry voices. Analysts and farmers’ bodies warn that distributing millions of day-old chicks without parallel investment in hatcheries, processing centres, cold-chain logistics, and farmer training risks high mortality and waste. Critics say a successful transition from giveaway to sustainable productivity will require careful planning: reliable feed supply, veterinary outreach, and clear off-take arrangements so growers can actually sell birds at fair prices.
If those operational gaps are closed, Nkoko Nketenkete could become a model of agricultural stimulus: small grants of livestock plus technical extension that multiply into household incomes, jobs, and greater food self-reliance. If not, the policy risks becoming another high-profile launch with limited long-term effect. Either way, the Jubilee Park ceremony marks the start of an ambitious experiment one that will be judged not by the number of chicks delivered, but by how many of them survive, grow, and translate into steady livelihoods.
Credit: woezor TV
Author: Edem Latsu Nukafu
Edem Latsu Nukafu, a passionate communications professional dedicated to public relations, journalism, media strategy, and content development. He holds both a Diploma and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies (Public Relations) from the University of Media, Arts and Communication – UniMAC-IJ. A member of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).
