The Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers (GNAPF) has emphasized the urgent need for a $100 million capital injection to rejuvenate the poultry industry in the country. The funds are earmarked for modernizing technologies and services crucial to the sector's development, including hatchery operations, feed production, processing facilities, and marketing initiatives.
Mr. Victor Oppong Adjei, President of GNAPF, underscored this pressing need during an interview with the Ghana News Agency at a pivotal event focused on optimizing the poultry value chain in Ghana. Highlighting the industry's significant contribution to the economy, Adjei emphasized the crucial role of investment in driving its growth and sustainability.
The event, organized by the Economic and Trade Mission in collaboration with GNAPF, was a landmark initiative aimed at engaging stakeholders in the poultry industry to address mutual challenges and explore innovative solutions. Under the theme “Optimizing Ghana's Poultry Value Chain by Exploring Israeli Poultry Solutions,” the event introduced participants to cutting-edge Israeli technologies poised to revolutionize chicken production in Ghana.
Adjei identified key challenges facing the poultry sector, including soaring feed costs, shortages of day-old chicks, and insufficient infrastructure. He highlighted the drastic increase in feed costs, citing a surge from GH¢ 1,500 to GH¢ 7,000 amid rising prices of essential ingredients.
Proposing actionable solutions, Adjei called upon the government to implement policies aimed at either increasing tariffs on imported poultry products or restricting their influx into the country. He cautioned against the adverse effects of allowing imported chicken to flood the market, stressing the urgent need to safeguard the competitiveness of local poultry producers.
Madam Shlomit Sufa, the Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, commended Ghana's poultry industry as a beacon of economic resilience. Drawing parallels with Israel's own poultry sector, she highlighted the transformative power of innovation, technology, and dedication in driving economic growth and food security.
Sufa underscored Israel's commitment to fostering partnerships that promote shared progress, emphasizing the country's expertise in various areas of poultry production, including breeding, precision farming, biosecurity measures, and value chain development.
In Ghana, poultry production holds significant economic importance, contributing approximately 14% to the agricultural GDP and serving as a vital source of income for countless small-scale farmers and entrepreneurs nationwide. As stakeholders rally for strategic investments and partnerships, the vision for a revitalized and thriving poultry industry in Ghana moves closer to realization.
