The Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers has lauded government in its bid to revive the ailing livestock industry in the country.
It has, therefore, pledged their unflinching support in assisting the government to develop the sector.
This was publicly announced by the association’s National chairman Mr Victor Adjei Oppong, at a roundtable discussion held in Kumasi by the Dutch Government.
The rearing for food and jobs has come at a time, where the association is devising several means to prevent the country’s livestock industry from total collapse.
“Though the idea behind it looks great, we would entreat the government to take a keen interest in logistical support for the livestock farmers”.
Mr Oppong, on the other hand, appealed to the government to set up a special fund to see to the full implementation of the program.
The livestock sector is faced with numerous challenges but that notwithstanding, the decision of the government aim at retooling defunct farms with the improved breeds is welcoming and therefore farmers should take advantage of it to increase their growth.
In doing so, the government ought to look at the marketing aspect of it to mitigate the most significant challenge associated with its production.
Launching the campaign on Monday, 25th June, 2019, in Wa, in the Upper West Region, the President bemoaned the steep decline of Ghana’s livestock sector, which has been largely attributed to the high cost of production, and competition from cheap imports of livestock and its products, forcing most livestock producers to stop producing meat, and to concentrate solely on crop production.
With Ghana importing $400 million worth of meat products annually, and with local meat production accounting for only 19% of the country’s meat requirements, President Akufo-Addo stated that these grim statistics is an indictment on the country and that is why success has to be made of the Rearing for Food and Jobs campaign.
In achieving this, Mr Oppong Adjei opined that there is a need for the government to make the livestock industry one-stop-shop by devoting the needed attention and funds to man it.
He Maintained by saying, the country has witnessed such much-publicised programs, yet, funds for actual production do not go into it, and that need not be repeated here.
He tasked the government to also demarcate land for production and establishment of hatcheries, since, their area of operations are being taken over with the influx of modern infrastructure development.
He added that poor roads leading to these areas needs urgent attention because this normally drives potential buyers away from patronizing the products after mass production, which in effect, affects the outcome of their sweat.
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