The government has announced a full nationwide rollout of its “Nkoko Nketenkete” poultry initiative after a successful pilot phase that saw 720,000 birds distributed to 13,000 farmers.

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, revealed this at the Government Accountability Series in Accra, highlighting the programme’s expanded support system for farmers.

As part of the national rollout, the government will supply 50,000 guinea keets to households and 50,000 pullets to women farmers. Commercial poultry farmers will also benefit from 100,000 broilers and guinea fowls offered at a 50% subsidy, along with additional support such as feed, vaccines, and medication.

The initiative goes beyond poultry production to boost crop cultivation. Minister Opoku disclosed that more than 91,000 bags of fertiliser have already been distributed, in addition to thousands of bags of maize, rice, soybean, and cowpea seeds across participating districts.

To promote all-year farming, the government is prioritising irrigation development. Key interventions include the construction of 10 new dams, the rehabilitation of major irrigation facilities, and the installation of over 300 solar-powered boreholes for farming communities.

According to the minister, these efforts aim to enhance food security, strengthen the agricultural value chain, and increase farmer productivity nationwide.