The CEO of Coconut Grove Regency Lodge, Mr Ralph Ayitey, has referred to as on all hospitality establishments working in Ghana to observe the resort’s lead and use solely Ghanaian poultry of their institutions.
Delivering a speech because the visitor speaker on the launch of the Ghana Poultry Day Pageant, 2025, an initiative of Agrihouse Basis that celebrates the Ghanaian poultry trade, Mr Ayitey emphasised the significance of supporting native poultry farmers and selling Ghanaian merchandise.
“We consider that serving our shoppers with what we produce domestically has drastically contributed to us coming this far,” Ayitey mentioned on Tuesday, April 15, on the Accra Vacationer Data Centre. “We have been deliberate about serving native fruit juices, recent fish from Elmina, and Tilapia from the Volta Lake. And now, we’re encouraging all hospitality outfits to assist a brother or sister to eat domestically raised poultry to save lots of our motherland.”
Mr Ayitey highlighted the numerous influence that importing poultry has on Ghana’s economic system. “Ghana consumes over 600,000 imported chickens each single day, with a median of 1.2kg… however we all know we now have 592k unemployed individuals,” he famous. “My buddies, does that add as much as you? This is not nearly hen – poultry merely. It is about jobs. It is about constructing a Ghana that feeds itself, employs its personal, ‘its personal’ pay taxes and believes in its personal – let’s construct our homeland Ghana.”
The CEO emphasised that the theme for this yr’s Poultry Day Pageant, “Investing within the Native Poultry Sector: A Means to Creating Jobs, Selling Agritourism, and Enhancing Meals Safety,” isn’t just a slogan, however a method for nationwide transformation and renewal. “Let’s face the numbers: Ghana imports over 300,000 metric tonnes of hen yearly. That is almost 600,000 chickens each single day — but solely 5% of what we eat is produced domestically,” he mentioned.
He additionally highlighted the potential for poultry farming to contribute to Ghana’s economic system, citing the instance of ostrich farming. “The ostrich trade gives us an amazing alternative to change into web exporters of not simply the meat however the leather-based that comes with it,” he famous.
To attain this aim, Ayitey referred to as for calculated and deliberate motion, together with innovating feed sources, constructing out grower partnerships, and involving the youth in poultry farming. “Let’s begin early — from fundamental colleges to the college degree — and make poultry not only a topic, however an answer,” he mentioned. “We have to develop specialised curricula, coaching programmes, and workshops in poultry science, animal husbandry, and agribusiness administration.”
The hotelier additionally emphasised the significance of telling the story of Ghana’s poultry trade and constructing a model round native poultry merchandise. “As an instance it loud and proud: Ghana Hen is Contemporary. Wholesome. Protected. Ghanaian,” he declared.
Relating to the function of the federal government, Ayitey mentioned, “The federal government might want to bolster, reinforce, and fortify the circumstances that allow progress. We’re not asking for handouts. We’re asking for a partnership.” He referred to as on the federal government to supply tax incentives for producers, present reasonably priced financing for enlargement, spend money on correct chilly chain infrastructure, and implement current rules to cease the dumping of poor-quality imports which might be hurting native farmers.
“We’re asking for a partnership that may assist each facet of the worth chain — from breeder farms to hatcheries, feed mills to processing crops, transport to advertising and marketing,” Ayitey mentioned. “As a result of when Ghana’s poultry thrives, Ghana wins — on meals safety, on jobs, on well being, on agritourism and financial progress.”
In conclusion, Mr Ayitey, who’s additionally the Nationwide Treasurer of the Affiliation of Ghana Industries (AGI), referred to as on all Ghanaians to assist the native poultry trade and promote Ghanaian merchandise. “Let’s be deliberate about it. Let’s make Ghana hen the popular alternative. Let’s have the Ghana hen alternative out there,” he mentioned. “Once we demystify poultry and present that it isn’t simply ‘soiled work’ however worthwhile, purposeful, and impactful, we’ll elevate a brand new era who will not simply search jobs — they’re going to create them.”
In regards to the Ghana Poultry Day
The Ghana Poultry Day competition’s main aim is to advertise the consumption and patronage of domestically produced poultry whereas highlighting its dietary and medicinal advantages.
The competition additionally goals to lift consciousness concerning the poultry sector’s function in employment, meals safety, and financial progress. This initiative is in collaboration with the Ghana Poultry Farmers Affiliation, the Ghana Egg Secretariat, the Nationwide Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Affiliation, the Ministry of Meals and Agriculture, and varied different stakeholders, to advertise the consumption of domestically produced hen.
The fifth version of the competition will happen on the forecourt of the State Home on July 1, 2025.
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