Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong (first right) with some stakeholders
Ing Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, a flagbearer hopeful of the National Patriotic Party (NPP), has promised to prioritise the Ghana Poultry Day initiative, and expand it as a principal policy plank if elected Ghana’s president.
He underscored the need for government to prioritise and, especially, promote the local poultry industry.
Speaking at the first edition of the Ghana Poultry Day initiative, organized by Agrihouse Foundation, Ing. Kwabena Agyepong said there is significant potential to expand the production of chicken products.
He said this is because Ghana currently produces less than 15% of its poultry consumption, describing the situation as tragic for the agricultural industry and the health of Ghanaians.
To this end, he called on the Food and Agriculture Ministry to bridge the gap by creating an enabling environment for poultry farming to thrive.
He stressed that for poultry producers to enhance production, the costs of capital, production, and feed must be greatly decreased. He called on stakeholders to encourage initiatives to produce high-quality feed locally as a key to the success of the local poultry industry.
The presidential aspirant pointed out that a thriving poultry industry value chain will provide massive opportunities for the teeming youth and improve the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Nutritional values
Additionally, Ing. Kwabena Agyepong insisted that local poultry is capable of meeting the nutritional and supply demands of Ghanaians.
He called on cold stores and entities in the poultry supply chain to prioritise local poultry products, indicating that local poultry is fresher and healthier for people to consume as it does not spend prolonged periods in cold storage before being shipped to Ghana.
He entreated Ghanaians to change their mindset on nutrition, saying Ghanaians should prioritise protein over carbohydrates in local cuisines.
He also encouraged Ghanaians to adopt healthy eating habits by deskinning the chicken and focusing on the chicken breast, which is white meat and contains much less fat.
During the event, Ing. Kwabena Agyepong whipped up his award-winning KAA Special Chicken Spaghetti recipe using locally produced chicken provided by Boris B Farms.
The event was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ghana Poultry Farmers Association
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