A new timeline to roll out the government’s Nkoko Nkitinkiti Programme has been set for the first week of October, after delaying the initiative in July due to limited stakeholder consultation.
The programme is designed to reduce the country’s dependence on imported poultry, which costs more than $300 million annually. The initiative, initially scheduled to launch in July, is designed to support more than 55,000 households, and create thousands of jobs for the youth.
Food and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku announced the revised schedule in Accra during the launch of the second phase of the West Africa Livestock Marketing Programme (PACBAO), organized by the ECOWAS Commission.
“Plans are at an advanced stage, and it is expected that by the first week of October, His Excellency the President will officially launch the programme. The media will be invited, after which distribution will begin across various constituencies to reach beneficiary farmers. We are finalizing the beneficiary list and completing procurement processes with contractors to supply the birds. Very soon, implementation will take off,” Opoku said.
The Nkoko Nkitinkiti Programme is being positioned as a flagship intervention to empower local farmers and strengthen domestic poultry production. Government officials say the scheme will not only save foreign exchange but also create jobs, particularly for youth and women in rural communities.
The renewed timeline comes after concerns from poultry industry stakeholders about the initial postponement. In July, Kwame Anim Somuah, President of the Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association, said the delay left farmers unable to plan effectively for production.
If executed effectively, the programme could stabilize poultry supply, boost agribusiness opportunities in feed and hatchery production, and stimulate investment in cold-chain logistics, strengthening Ghana’s broader agricultural value chain.
