Poultry farmers in the Nkoranza North Municipality of the Bono East Region have appealed to government to scale up the distribution of chicks under the Nkoko Nketenkete initiative to reach more beneficiaries and accelerate growth in the sector.
During a visit to selected farms in the municipality, farmers told the media that while the programme had been impactful, its current reach remained limited, leaving many poultry producers yet to benefit.
Mr Joshua Yaw Jejija, Acting Municipal Director of Agriculture, disclosed that more than 50,000 farmers had registered with the directorate to access various government agricultural interventions.
However, only about 10,000 poultry farmers had so far benefited from the Nkoko Nketenkete initiative.
He explained that the distribution covered 200 households, each receiving 50 chicks, along with feed and other essential inputs to support production.
Mr Jejija further revealed that the municipality had been selected for the establishment of a Farmer Service Centre, with land already secured for the project. The facility is expected to enhance access to agricultural services and support productivity.
He added that about 10,000 farmers had also registered under the Feed Ghana programme, which covers livestock production, aquaculture, and crop farming, with 5,000 specifically enrolling in the Nkoko Nketenkete module.
Despite these interventions, Mr Jejija raised concerns about the growing impact of climate change on farming activities in the area.
He cited erratic rainfall patterns, extreme heat, and unpredictable weather conditions as key challenges affecting productivity.
He also highlighted limited market access as a major constraint, noting that the lack of reliable markets for poultry products was discouraging farmers and undermining the benefits of the intervention programmes.
Mr Jejija called on government and stakeholders to strengthen support for the agriculture directorate, pointing to inadequate staffing and a lack of logistics, including vehicles and motorbikes, which hinder effective monitoring and supervision.
When contacted, Mr Godfred Dapaah, the Municipal Chief Executive, commended government efforts to improve livelihoods through targeted agricultural programmes. He assured that more chicks would be distributed in the next phase of the Nkoko Nketenkete initiative to expand its reach.
He urged beneficiaries to properly manage the birds to ensure the sustainability of the programme and maximise its impact.
Mr Dapaah added that ongoing improvements in health, education, road infrastructure, and agriculture were gradually enhancing living conditions in the municipality.
He encouraged residents to support government efforts aimed at driving national development and building a more resilient economy.
