Ghana's poultry sector needs 20-year legal roadmap, not quick fixes – Rockland Farms boss

Ghana's ambitious Nkoko Nkitinkiti poultry initiative cannot succeed without a legally binding, two-decade development strategy that survives changes in government, according to Edith Akosah Wheatland, Chief Executive Officer of Rockland Farms.

Speaking at a Joy Business thought leadership roundtable on food security and poultry production, Ms Wheatland argued that short-term interventions have repeatedly failed to transform the sector. She emphasised that meaningful progress requires sustained commitment spanning at least 10 to 20 years, underpinned by legislation that binds successive administrations to a consistent pathway.

"What we are talking about today is not a three-year thing that we can do. We need at least a 10 to 20-year roadmap backed by a legal document so that when there is a change of government, it cannot be changed," she stated.

Feed production: The hidden cost of doing business

A critical insight from Rockland Farms' experience reveals why many local poultry producers struggle financially. Feed accounts for approximately 80 per cent of broiler production costs, making it the single largest expense farmers face. Rather than accepting this burden, the company invested in its own feed mill—a decision that has reshaped its economics and created broader agricultural linkages.

The mill now produces between 8 and 10 tonnes of feed hourly and supplies the company's own operations whilst supporting a network of nearly 8,000 smallholder maize farmers. By providing technical assistance to these farmers, Rockland Farms has helped them increase yields whilst simultaneously reducing its own production costs. This model demonstrates how vertical integration and farmer cooperation can address one of the sector's most persistent challenges.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghana's food security and agricultural self-sufficiency depend significantly on the poultry sector's capacity to meet domestic demand. Currently, the country imports substantial quantities of chicken and chicken products, draining foreign exchange and limiting opportunities for local farmers and producers. The Nkoko Nkitinkiti initiative—which translates to "one chicken per household"—aims to boost local production, reduce imports and improve nutrition across the country.

However, the sector faces interconnected obstacles: limited access to affordable financing from commercial banks wary of poultry's perceived risks; inadequate processing infrastructure and cold chain systems; weak capacity and knowledge among many farmers; and inconsistent government policy. Ms Wheatland's call for a long-term, legally enforceable framework addresses the underlying cause—the lack of investor and creditor confidence created by policy uncertainty.

If banks had assurance that government would maintain a stable, well-designed poultry strategy, they would likely expand lending to the sector. This would unlock capital currently withheld, accelerating growth. Similarly, private investors would commit to larger ventures like Rockland Farms' planned 2,000-birds-per-hour processing plant in the Ashanti Region, knowing the operating environment would not shift with each electoral cycle.

The journey from ambition to expertise

Ms Wheatland's personal entrepreneurial path underscores the importance of capacity building. Six years ago, she approached a poultry expert confidently announcing plans to produce six million birds annually. The expert's silence eventually forced reflection—she was not ready. Rather than abandon her vision, she used the rejection as motivation to build genuine expertise from the ground up.

"I used that disappointment as a learning curve. We started from zero. We had to learn how to get the feed right and how to get everything right," she reflected. This experience reveals that many would-be poultry producers lack the technical knowledge required for modern, efficient operations. Formal capacity-building programmes, mentorship and knowledge-sharing networks must accompany any government initiative to expand the sector.

Ms Wheatland stressed that transforming poultry production cannot be left to farmers alone. Success requires coordinated action across agriculture, finance, veterinary services, government and the private sector. The market exists—importers actively seek quality Ghanaian chicken—but infrastructure gaps in processing and cold chain logistics prevent local producers from consistently meeting buyer requirements. Closing these gaps demands cross-sectoral collaboration and sustained investment.