Early Life
Born on October 23, 1942 at Bekwai in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, Dr. Kwabena Darko lost his father at an early age and engaged in petty trading to sustain family livelihood.
He veered into assisting his stepfather into running his then-owned broiler farm till he proceeded to Ruppin Institute in Israel to pursue Poultry science in the late 50s and 60s.
After graduating, Dr. Kwabena Darko then worked with the Ghana State Farms Corporation and later resigned after 6 months to join his stepfather into managing his commercial poultry Farm where more than 5,000 broilers were produced within a couple of years.
Inception of Darko Farms
Darko Farms and Company was established in April 1967 and currently has a processing plant operating at 10,000 birds per day with one shift, and 20,000 birds per day with two shifts. It has a hatchery with capacity to produce 6-million-day-old chicks a year, breeder farms with a bird population of about 30,000 per batch, a layer farm with capacity of 100,000 per batch, and commercial broiler farms with capacity of 350,000 birds per cycle of 8 weeks.
In addition, the company has a feed mill with an installed capacity of 96 metric tons of feed per day, and a storage cold room of 500 metric tons.
The astute agriculturist cum former politician, who was a pan-africanist, contested for presidency in the year 1992 on the ticket of the National Independence Party, with his running mate, Hon. Naa Aforley Sackeyfio. He became the minister of religion in 2000 and the General overseer of the Oasis Love International Church.
The CEO of Darko Farms aka ‘Akoko Darko’ is espoused to Rev. Dr. Christiana Darko with 6(six) children.
POSITIONS HELD BY DR. KWABENA DARKO
- Grand Medal Order of Volta, National Award for his Contributions to Agriculture – 1978
- Honorary Certificate for Selfless Devotion to Charity by Christian Voluntary Society – 1978
- Award by Ghana Animal Science Association for Outstanding Contribution to the Association – 1982
- Best Farmer Award, Royal Agriculture Show, London – 1984
- Honorary Member, Ghana Science Association – 1985
- National Best Poultry Farmer – 1986
- Meritorious Award for Contribution to Charity by the Ghana National Trust Fund – 1990
- Certificate of Honor for Voluntary Service and Contribution to Charity by the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development – 1990
- The First General Superintendent Certificate of Honor, Assemblies of God Ghana – 1990
- Certificate of Honor for Outstanding Contribution to the Ghana Feed Millers Association – 1992
- Junior Achievement of Ghana Business Hall of Fame – 1992
- Ordained as a Minister of Religion in 2000 and obtained an Honorary Doctorate of Science Degree by KNUST- 2002
- Honorary Doctorate of Divinity by Global Missions and Bible College, London – 2002
