Hundreds of Ghanaians flocked to the Efua Sutherland Park in Accra last week for this year’s Farmers’ Day Exhibition, where free grilled chicken took the spotlight.
The event, organized as part of the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) Poultry Intensification Scheme (PIS), allowed patrons to enjoy a taste of locally grown broiler chicken, with birds raised this year under the scheme (PIS).
Promoting local poultry industry
Dubbed the “Chicken Road Show,” the event gave the public a chance to sample nutritious and delicious Ghanaian-grown chicken.
The initiative, led by FSRP under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), aims to encourage Ghanaians to choose locally produced chicken over imports.
Government officials, parliamentarians, schools, and private organizations all gathered at the FSRP pavilion to enjoy the flavors of home-grown poultry.
Dr. Boris Baidoo, one of the scheme’s anchor farmers in the Ashanti Region and CEO of Boris B Chicken thanked FSRP for the initiative and observed that
Ghanaians’ enthusiastic response to the free grilled chicken at the “Chicken Road Show” reflects growing support for local products and a brighter future for Ghana’s poultry industry.
The exhibition not only highlighted the nutritional benefits of locally grown chicken but also underscored the government’s commitment to empowering Ghanaian farmers and creating a resilient food system.
Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, attended the pavilion, where he served the FSRP “Grown-in-Ghana” chicken to visitors and highlighted the health benefits of locally sourced poultry.
He also voiced concerns about Ghana’s heavy reliance on imported chicken, which currently meets 95% of the country’s demand.
“Locally produced chicken is healthier than imported alternatives, and with this project, we aim to reduce our dependence on imports,” Dr. Acheampong said.
Boost from FSRP project
The Farmers’ Day Exhibition also provided a platform to showcase the ongoing efforts of the Poultry Intensification Scheme (PIS), which aims to revitalize Ghana’s poultry industry with a $12.5 million investment from the World Bank. The scheme supports commercial anchor farmers and their smallholders with input credits, day-old chicks, feed, and vaccines, as well as access to post-production equipment.
Dr. Acheampong expressed optimism that the FSRP initiative, combined with other government projects, will lead to self-sufficiency in Ghana’s poultry industry within five years.
Mr. Philip Laryea, the Operations Manager of FSRP highlighted that since its launch, the PIS has enabled the production of 400,000 birds in just four months, a promising start toward the goal of 2 million birds annually.
Ensuring quality and safety
FSRP-produced broilers are subject to rigorous monitoring by officials from the Animal Production Directorate, the Veterinary Services Department, and other regulatory bodies to ensure quality, health, and safety standards.
Inspection teams oversee each phase of production, from feed quality to bio-security protocols, ensuring that the locally produced chicken meets industrial standards.
