Ghanaian poultry farmers are eager to begin supplying eggs to schools nationwide under the School Feeding Programme, hoping the proposed arrangement will create a reliable market for their produce and reduce their dependence on export sales.
George Dassah, National President of the Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers (GNAPF), said a committee set up to examine the proposal had completed its report following discussions with the Minister of Education. Farmers are now waiting for the process to advance to actual purchases.
“We are praying that they will try to facilitate the process so that the schools can start lifting the eggs,” he said in an interview.
For poultry farmers, supplying schools could provide a steady outlet for their eggs, helping them recover production costs, pay for feed and sustain their businesses. It could also reduce the risk of unsold produce when export markets are disrupted.
Mr Dassah said the potential demand was significant, noting that if every secondary school student consumed three eggs a week, it would create a substantial market for local producers.
The call comes after a three-month closure of the border with Burkina Faso disrupted egg exports, leaving some farmers, particularly in the Bono Region, with unsold stock and falling prices.
Although exports have resumed following engagements between Ghanaian and Burkinabe authorities, the disruption exposed the risks of relying heavily on a single export market.
“Cross-border trade is something you cannot guarantee what will happen tomorrow,” Mr Dassah said.
He said some eggs were destroyed at the Burkina Faso border during the closure, while the loss of sales left farmers struggling to raise money for feed and other operating expenses.
Mr Dassah attributed part of the egg surplus to increased domestic production, supported by relatively stable maize prices that had helped ease feed costs. But lower production costs offer little relief when farmers cannot sell enough of their output.
He estimated that Ghanaians consume between 20 and 30 eggs per person annually and called for public education on their nutritional benefits to encourage greater consumption.
The proposed school purchases could help expand demand while giving farmers a more dependable market than export trade alone can provide.
Opportunity for other local producers
If the government extends local purchasing under the School Feeding Programme to vegetables and other food items, the benefits could reach farmers beyond the poultry sector.
Vegetable growers and other food producers could gain a regular market for their harvests, helping them plan production, reduce post-harvest losses and earn more predictable incomes.
Buying locally could also keep more public spending within Ghana’s agricultural economy while improving the supply of nutritious food to schoolchildren.
The success of such an arrangement would depend on the volume of food purchased, timely payments and procurement rules that allow local farmers, including smaller producers, to participate.
For poultry farmers, however, the immediate concern is when schools will begin buying eggs. Although the committee has completed its report, the proposed arrangement has yet to translate into orders.
They are hoping the government will move quickly to turn the plan into a market that supports local production and helps protect their businesses from future disruptions to cross-border trade.
