The government has announced a nationwide rollout of its Nkoko Nketenkete poultry initiative following a pilot phase that distributed 720,000 birds to 13,000 farmers across the country.
Food and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku made the announcement at the Government Accountability Series in Accra, outlining an expanded programme designed to boost household and commercial poultry production while strengthening food security.
Under the expanded initiative, 50,000 guinea keets will be supplied to households alongside 50,000 pullets specifically allocated to female farmers. Commercial producers will receive 100,000 broilers and guinea fowls at a 50 percent subsidy, accompanied by feed, vaccines, and medication to support successful rearing.
The programme extends beyond poultry distribution. Opoku reported that over 91,000 bags of various fertilizers have been distributed to participating districts, along with thousands of bags of seeds for maize, rice, soybean, and cowpea cultivation.
To enable year-round farming, the government is accelerating irrigation infrastructure development. Plans include constructing 10 new dams, rehabilitating several major irrigation schemes, and deploying more than 300 solar-powered boreholes in farming communities.
The minister highlighted a dramatic reduction in food inflation, which dropped from 61 percent in January 2023 to 9.5 percent as of October 2025. He attributed the decline partly to increased domestic production and improved agricultural support systems.
Opoku also confirmed a partnership with the Korea Rural Cooperation to develop 100 hectares of irrigated land dedicated to rice seed production. The collaboration aims to achieve rice seed independence for Ghana by 2027, reducing reliance on imported seeds.
The Nkoko Nketenkete programme represents part of broader government efforts to enhance food production capacity and support smallholder farmers. The initiative combines direct input distribution with infrastructure improvements and technical support to create sustainable agricultural growth.
Officials indicated that registration for the expanded programme will open in coming weeks, with priority given to farmers who participated in the pilot phase and demonstrated successful outcomes.