The 24-Hour Economy Secretariat and the Accelerated Export Development Authority have mobilised financing commitments exceeding GH¢1 billion to support Ghana’s poultry value chain as part of efforts to increase local production, create jobs and reduce the country’s dependence on imported chicken.
Mr Arnold Parker, Funding Team Lead of the Secretariat, said the financing would support investments across the poultry value chain, including feed production, day-old chick supply, equipment, processing, storage and veterinary services.
Speaking during stakeholder discussions on the National Transformation Poultry Programme in Accra, Mr Parker said the Secretariat had secured strong commitments from financial institutions and private investors to drive the initiative.
The financing will be provided through private sector actors, including ABSA, Fidelity Bank and Ecobank, with the first phase targeting about GH¢300 million. Additional funding is expected to be mobilised following the initial implementation cycle.
“The funds are ready, but we must put in place the right structures to draw down the financing and deploy it effectively across the industry,” Mr Parker said.
He explained that the programme was not focused solely on increasing poultry production but would strengthen the entire value chain, from input suppliers and breeders to processors and off-takers.
The initiative forms part of Ghana’s Accelerated Export Development agenda, which seeks to position locally produced poultry products for regional and international markets.
Mr Parker also stressed the importance of developing financing products that reflect the realities of poultry production cycles, noting that conventional lending arrangements often placed excessive pressure on farmers.
He said financial institutions and industry stakeholders would work together to develop customised financing solutions suited to the operational and production cycles of poultry businesses.
The financing initiative comes as Ghana continues to rely heavily on imported poultry products. According to the 2024 Budget Statement, Ghana consumed about 324,047 metric tonnes of poultry in 2022 but produced only 15,000 metric tonnes locally, representing just 4.6 per cent of total demand.
This left approximately 95 per cent of poultry consumed in the country being supplied through imports, mainly from Brazil, the United States and Europe.
The Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers estimates that the country spends nearly US$400 million annually on imported poultry products.
Mr Parker said the new financing framework would help address some of the industry’s longstanding constraints by providing targeted funding across the value chain while strengthening enterprise management and technical capacity.
The Secretariat will also collaborate with research institutions, including the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, to improve productivity, promote innovation and strengthen the competitiveness of Ghana’s poultry industry.
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