Poultry farming in the Northern Region is in a dire situation due to a lack of accessible credit facilities, George Dassah, organiser of the Poultry Farmers Association in Tamale, has said.

He said the poultry industry is a major contributor to Ghana’s development through employment creation and the enhancement of nutrition and food security.

“In spite of these contributions, the industry is entangled with a number of problems that necessitate redress. These include financing, diseases and absence of electricity for operations on most farms,” he said.

He said several banks in the region reject farmers’ requests for loans to expand their business, with the reason that poultry farming is very risky and they might not be able to pay back.

Mr. Dassah said the association organises regular on-the-job training for members to acquire knowledge on best poultry-rearing practices.

He said funding of the industry, especially from government, will help expand facilities to employ more of the youth, reduce unemployment, and reduce high imports.

According to him, most of the farmers in the north generate their income from poultry production while the minority earn their incomes from farming food crops.

“A reduction in the import of chicken and poultry feeds will help in stabilisation of the cedi, and therefore there is a need to provide sufficient support to the farmers to achieve that goal and alleviate poverty in the region.”

He added that the presence of feed processing mills, poultry input shops and availability of organised markets serve as prospects that could be harnessed to boost growth of the poultry industry in the region.

Mr. Dassah also appealed for government to subsidise electricity tariffs and increase access-roads to enhance the industry’s performance.