Poultry farmers are asking the government to provide clarity on the delayed rollout of the much-publicised Nkoko Nkitinkiti project.

The initiative, which was initially scheduled to begin last month, aims to support more than 55,000 households, create jobs for the youth, and cut down the country’s annual poultry imports, which cost over $300 million.

But according to Kwame Anim Somuah, President of the Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association, the delay has left many farmers uncertain about how to plan their production.

“It’s been touted for a long time, but from where we sit, I don’t know what is holding back the launch of the programme. What we are asking for is an update to farmer associations on the current state of the project, so we can plan accordingly. If we know it will be launched within the next month or two, farmers will be better prepared for participation and processing.

For instance, if I raise my birds now, in less than two months they’ll be ready. But the question is, when they are fully matured, where do I take them?” he said.

Earlier this year, President John Dramani Mahama, in his State of the Nation Address, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the link between agriculture and industry.

He said the government would prioritise value addition, processing, and distribution to make agriculture more profitable and appealing to young people.

The President further assured that alongside the Nkoko Nkitinkiti initiative, the AgriNext Programme would soon be rolled out to facilitate access to land banks for young farmers and link graduates to opportunities within the agricultural value chain.