The Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Assembly (KKMA) has begun the distribution of 8,000 Nkoko Nkitinkitin birds to households in the municipality, as part of a government initiative to boost local poultry production and improve food security.
The initiative forms part of the government’s broader “Feed Ghana” agenda aimed at increasing domestic poultry production, creating employment opportunities and reducing the country’s dependence on imported chicken.
Mr Joseph Akuertey Tettey, the Member of Parliament for Kpone-Katamanso, who supported the assembly in the distribution exercise, said the programme was launched in November 2025 by President John Dramani Mahama.
Mr Tettey noted that the initiative sought to reduce Ghana’s estimated 400 million dollars’ annual expenditure on chicken imports, while strengthening local poultry farming.
He said the distribution of the birds to community members would help reduce the country’s dependence on frozen poultry imports, which he noted could experience quality deterioration during storage.
He cited issues such as freezer burn, texture changes due to ice crystal damage, and reduced flavour compared to fresh meat, as some of the concerns associated with prolonged frozen poultry storage.
The MP encouraged beneficiaries, particularly the youth, to raise the birds for commercial purposes by producing eggs and meat rather than consuming them immediately.
He said such an approach would help ensure the sustainability of the project, while providing a steady source of income for households.
Mr Samuel T.K. Morton, the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Chief Executive, advised beneficiaries to treat the birds as productive assets rather than handouts.
He urged them to strictly follow the technical guidelines provided by agricultural officers, including proper housing, feeding and healthcare, to ensure high survival rates of the chickens.
Madam Esther Tsotso Annang, a beneficiary, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency after receiving her birds, expressed appreciation to the government for the initiative, describing the programme as a good and visionary intervention that would support households to generate income.
Mr Eli Lome Jinaky, another beneficiary, said the initiative had the potential to reduce the large sums Ghana spent annually on poultry imports while contributing to national food security.
Source: Access Agric
