In a landmark announcement set to reshape Ghana’s agricultural future, President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to make the nation fully self-sufficient in chicken production within the next three years.
Speaking on Friday, September 12, 2025, during a working visit to the National Service Authority (NSA) Poultry Farm in Haatso, Accra, the President outlined a strategic vision to strengthen the poultry sector and drastically cut imports.
Braving heavy rains, President Mahama toured the expansive NSA facility—inspecting pens, examining the birds, and reviewing the farm’s growing infrastructure. Visibly impressed, he declared:
“What is happening here is very impressive. My government is fully committed to supporting and expanding these efforts.”
The President announced that the NSA farm will be transformed into a “Centre of Excellence” with three core mandates: production, training, and research. To accelerate progress, he has instructed the Finance Minister to assess the site and design tailored financial and policy support.
As part of a broader poultry development agenda, the government will roll out support packages across all levels of farming—from supplying day-old chicks to commercial producers to providing targeted backing for medium and small-scale household farmers.
A major highlight of the visit was the President’s preview of a new national program, Nkoko Nkitikiti, set to launch next month. The initiative aims to create jobs, strengthen food security, and curb Ghana’s heavy dependence on poultry imports.
“Our ultimate goal is simple: to stop the massive importation of poultry, retain millions of dollars in our economy, and ensure that Ghanaians eat home-grown chickens,” President Mahama affirmed, sparking loud applause.
Currently, Ghana consumes around 400,000 tonnes of poultry annually, but local farmers supply less than 20%, forcing the nation to spend hundreds of millions on imports.
NSA Farm: From 2,500 Birds to 100,000 in 2025
Providing context, Ruth Dela Seddoh, Director-General of the National Service Secretariat (NSS), highlighted the farm’s rapid growth. What began as a small demonstration facility with 2,500 birds in the 1990s has, since January 2025, expanded into a commercial operation housing over 100,000 birds, with 70,000 currently active.
She emphasized the Authority’s mission under the Feed Ghana Agenda: equipping young graduates with practical agricultural skills.
“The National Service Authority carries a sacred mandate—to harness the energy, intellect, and passion of our youth in service to our motherland,” Ms. Seddoh stated.
To address long-standing industry bottlenecks such as high feed costs and weak supply chains, the NSA has adopted a vertically integrated model, encompassing feed production, in-house egg production, broiler processing, and packaging. This model, Ms. Seddoh explained, ensures efficiency, creates new revenue streams, and offers hands-on training for service personnel.
Calling for additional investment, she appealed for government support to construct a state-of-the-art processing facility.
She concluded powerfully:
“Achieving your vision to revolutionise this industry and create tens of thousands of jobs is not just possible—it is non-negotiable.”