Agricare and HD Plus Support 2nd ‘Ghana Chicken Festival’

Managing Director of Agricare Limited, Mr. Eric Manteau has called on value chain stakeholders to support initiatives of Agrihouse Foundation, especially, the ‘Ghana Chicken Festival’ (GHACHICK), which has great potential of expanding market for poultry farmers.

In a similar statement, the Head of Marketing at HD Plus, Madam Adelaide Abbiw-Williams has described GHACHICK as a great initiative, not only providing support for stakeholders in the poultry sector, but also strengthening family bonds through recreation.

Both organizations provided financial and technical support for the implementation of this year’s 2^nd Ghana Chicken Festival, organized by Agrihouse Foundation. Collaborating Institutions were Mobraz Farms and Dainess Chefs School.

Annually, the full day event promotes the consumption and patronage of local poultry products, and also helps to create sustainable awareness on the nutritional value of poultry products amongst Ghanaians. GHACHICK brings together families in a recreational atmosphere to savour locally bred chicken and other allied poultry products.

In a welcome address read on her behalf, the Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa Sarpong, said Agrihouse will continue to work with stakeholders including government agencies, development partners and value chain actors to increase growth in all facets of the sector.

She revealed that, currently about 95% of chicken consumed in Ghana is imported, “This is not a favorable situation for our poultry farmers and the industry as a whole,” she stressed.

She added, “We therefore call on government and our policymakers to institute policy directions that favor the efforts of poultry farmers and processors. We believe the poultry industry in Ghana is a key area that can improve economic development. Many jobs will be created, and our famers will enjoy the best of the market if the local sector takes at least fifty percent of the current market share.”

According to her, Ghana Chicken Festival is Agrihouse Foundations way of contributing to solutions needed in the poultry sector, and therefore urged stakeholders to financially and technically support the initiatives of the Foundation, which are geared towards providing training, mentorships, education, incentives and capacity building for our young people, agric students and beginner agribusinesses, women and person with disability operating in our agric sector.

This year, the full-day event attracted personalities including CEO of Mazia co Enterprise – Florence Tomazia Cossou, Head of Women Banking, Ecobank Ghana – Dr. Loretta Sarpong, CEO of MyBarnes Ghana Limited – Mr Kenneth Barnes. Head of Marketing, SES HD Plus – Madam Adelaide Abbiw-Wiliams, President, Women In Poultry Value Chain – Dr. Mrs. Victoria Norgbey, Madam Maria Goretti Quarshi, AJ of Mentor X Fame, and the famous Ali of TV3 Date Rush Fame

It brought together over fifty (50) Households in a relaxing atmospheres, affording them great music and opportunities to engage in recreational games like oware, Scrabble, Ludo and Monopoly. The children ate cotton candies whiles their faces were being painted. The bouncy castle became their new friend, but when they were wooed by the music, some of them left to engage in dancing competitions and musical chairs.

Beyond the recreational activities, the parents and small business owners who were present used the chance to network and strike businesses deals to find new opportunities for their poultry ventures and interests. Importantly, participants savoured different kinds of chicken meals prepared by the CEO’s and corporate representative during the Chef Competition.

This year CEO of Mazia Honey, Ms. Florence Tomazia Cossou, was adjudged Best CEO Chef. Head of Women Banking, at Ecobank Ghana, Dr. Loretta Sarpong was first runner up and CEO of MyBarnes Ghana Limited – Mr Kenneth Barnes, came in third.

In similar statements, they all expressed they joy for being part of the event and called for support to enable organizers sustain the project, annually.