In a bid to reduce dependency on poultry imports and strengthen the local food system, the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) is gearing up to produce two million broilers this year.
The success of the initial year will determine the scalability of the project, which aims to address challenges faced by broiler farmers in the region.
Implemented by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and funded by the World Bank, the FSRP operates under the auspices of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS).
The programme extends its support not only to poultry but also encompasses crops, with a holistic approach to enhance food system resilience.
Mr. Philip Daniel Laryea, the Operations Manager of FSRP, highlighted the poultry industry’s current landscape in Ghana, stating that the country is only 15% self-sufficient in poultry meat.
While layers dominate local production due to a robust egg market, broilers face challenges, particularly in finding a market within the critical eight-week period.
The project aims to overcome these challenges by supporting large scale commercial farmers, known as Anchor Farmers, who will collaborate with smallholder farmers.
The focus is on encouraging the marketing of processed whole birds or packaged cut chicken parts rather than live birds.
Beneficiary farmers will receive support in the form of day-old chicks, feed, vaccines, and assistance covering a significant portion of the production cost.
Addressing the issue of broiler farmers struggling without an off-taker by the eighth week, Mr. Laryea explained the importance of applicants demonstrating the capacity to process and market the birds to qualify for support.
The project also identifies farmers with under-utilized processing equipment due to inadequate local bird supply.
The FSRP’s Matching Grant Scheme provides an opportunity for applicants with processing capacity to expand or establish mechanized processing facilities.
The project will further support beneficiaries in marketing their products through sponsorships of advertisements, trade shows, and exhibitions.
The beneficiaries will receive support for three years, with repayment expectations at the end of each year.
The repayments will be a percentage of the support, with the remaining amount retained as a subsidy along with their profits.
Only farmers who have repaid the previous year’s support will qualify for assistance in the new year.
Approximately 300,000 Ghanaians are expected to directly benefit from the project, and over one million are estimated as indirect beneficiaries of the $150 million ECOWAS project.
The five-year initiative aims to strengthen food system risk management in collaboration with ECOWAS and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, addressing common natural phenomena affecting food production in the sub-region.
The FSRP will implement a combination of adaptive, innovative, and sustainable interventions to bolster the resilience of vulnerable households, families, farmers, and communities against uncertainty and shocks in food production and supply in the sub-region.
