Guinea fowl rearing: a tool for poverty alleviation in Northern Ghana
Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot

Accra, March 11, Ghanadot - Guinea fowl rearing has potential to contribute immensely to poverty alleviation in Ghana ’s three poverty stricken regions namely, the Northern, Upper East and Upper West.

The dry, sunny and other climatic conditions of the regions are suitable for the rearing of guinea fowl and other birds like duck, turkey and local hens.

Historically, the guinea fowl is native to West Africa and is known to have been a part of the diet of the ancient Egyptians. It appears in Roman mosaics but did not become widely eaten in Europe until the Portuguese began importing the birds from Guinea (their colony) in the sixteenth century. Guinea fowl then spread quickly across western and northern Europe and have been reared for the table in this country since Elizabethan times.

Guinea fowl are an important food throughout much of Africa, south of the Sahara , and are found in every region of the world. France , Belgium and Italy are amongst the largest producers in Europe .

With the appropriate technology and support from government, civil society organizations and the private sector, the guinea fowl farming venture could provide a solution to poverty in the northern parts of the country.

The Guinea fowl meat, which is a delicacy, has huge export potentials when given the necessary support as well as reducing the high unemployment rates in the Northern Ghana .

It is important to recall that, in the 1960s the Guinea fowl industry enjoyed a major boost with large quantities of eggs being exported to the southern sector of the country but this no longer the situation.

Also, the industry has suffered a major setback over the years due to lack of interest among the youth. However, through the appropriate technology some farmers are able to design and build local incubators that use electricity and kerosene to resuscitate the industry.

To this end, a group of farmers has come together to form a hatchery that could hatch about 2000 chicks and has the capacity of supplying day old chicks to farmers in these regions.

Addressing Guinea fowl farmers in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital, the Patron of Guinea Fowl Farmers Association in the region, Mr. Suhuyini Suuribataribiin hinted that a graduate of the University for Development Studies, Mr. Suhuyini Nicholas, had composed a feed concentrate as his research project and that was currently being used by some farmers in the country.

He admonished Guinea fowl farmers to make the association a formidable and vigorous one in order to seek assistance from the government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

There several organizations ready to help the industry if only they are well-organised. But the government is committed to developing agriculture sector in the northern regions.

It is truism that the “devil finds work for the idle hand”, in this respect if there are jobs like the Guinea fowl farming, shea-nut processing and cottage industries in the northern parts of the country the issues of conflicts which are more prevalent in the area could be reduced. This will tend lead to poverty reduction.

Ghanadot


 

Government Transition Team spends over GH¢30m on sitting allowances

Accra, March 11, Ghanadot - The government Transition Team, comprising 92 members over the course of six weeks have spent a total of about GH¢30million on sitting allowances and per diems..... More

Government to battle poor sanitation in the country

Accra, March 11, Ghanadot - Vice President of Ghana , H.E. John Dramani Mahama has indicated that a ban on the use of non-degradable plastics could be in the cards as part of the measures aimed to stem Ghana ’s increasing waste management difficulties. ....More

Ghana’s coming oil boom

Accra, March 11, Ghanadot - “Oil can often prove the undoing of many nations. Ghana is at the threshold of great things in the oil industry. Let us approach the find with sobriety. ” These are the words of former President of Ghana, H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor....More