An Agricultural Economist, Martin Tettey Nartey, has commended President John Dramani Mahama’s newly launched “Nkoko Nkitinkiti” initiative but cautioned that it could have unintended consequences for poultry farmers and other local producers.
Speaking on the Happy Morning Show with Kwadwo Safa Danquah on Happy 98.9 FM, Mr. Nartey described the programme, launched in Kumasi on Wednesday, November 12 as a laudable idea reminiscent of similar agricultural interventions introduced during the Acheampong era.
According to him, the “Nkoko Nkitinkiti” initiative, which aims to distribute improved poultry breeds to households to reduce the importation of chicken meat, has good intentions. However, he expressed concern that the targeted households may not be adequately trained or prepared to manage the birds effectively.
“The programme is good, but the households who will receive the chickens must understand how to rear them properly if the country is to benefit,” he noted.
Mr. Nartey warned that local poultry farmers are already struggling due to competition from imported eggs and chicken, adding that the new initiative could worsen their plight.
“Our poultry farmers are crying because imported eggs and chicken have taken over the market. If government starts supplying chickens to households, people will stop buying from local farmers, and that will affect their businesses,” he said.
He also questioned how beneficiary households would feed and care for the birds, given the rising cost of poultry feed and other inputs.
Beyond poultry, Mr. Nartey drew parallels with the challenges facing rice farmers, who have long complained about low patronage of local rice. He criticized the government’s reliance on the National Food Buffer Stock Company to purchase produce instead of buying directly from farmers.
“Sometimes the initiative is good, but politics behind it affects its success. The process of selling produce through Buffer Stock is too long, and farmers don’t benefit quickly,” he argued.
Mr. Nartey therefore urged the government to actively involve the private sector in the implementation of the “Nkoko Nkitinkiti” programme to ensure sustainability and efficiency.
“Government must involve the private sector if this initiative is to succeed,” he emphasized.
The “Nkoko Nkitinkiti” programme is part of the Mahama administration’s broader effort to promote food self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on imported poultry products.
