Government to rehabilitate National breeding stations to boost livestock production

Government has unveiled plans to rehabilitate the country’s national livestock breeding stations and restock them with small ruminants, in a bid to raise capacity utilisation from below 15% to at least 50%.

The initiative, outlined in the Food and Agriculture Ministry’s (MoFA) Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025–2028, forms part of broader efforts to revitalise the livestock sub-sector and reduce Ghana’s dependence on imports.

MoFA currently manages seven national breeding stations across the country, each specialising in different species. These include the Nungua Livestock Breeding Station (pigs and rabbits), Babile (Ashanti Black pigs), Ejura (sheep), Kintampo (West African dwarf goats), Pong Tamale (sheep, goats, pigs, cattle), Nkwanta (sheep and goats), and the Amrahia Dairy Farm (dairy cattle).

For years, stakeholders and farmer associations have criticised successive governments for neglecting these facilities, which despite limited investment, still provide improved breeding stock and extension services to enhance livestock quality and production. The lack of development has, however, contributed to Ghana’s growing reliance on imports.

Data from the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) shows the country imported US$17.7 million worth of livestock in 2023, with cattle, goats, and sheep accounting for 70% of the total, largely from Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria. PFAG has consistently warned that although livestock is critical to Ghana’s food security agenda, the sector continues to suffer from limited policy attention and inadequate support.

The livestock industry—which includes cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits, and poultry—remains a key pillar of national food security. Yet, challenges persist. Only 5% of poultry consumed locally is produced domestically, with the remaining 95% imported. Other difficulties include widespread animal diseases, limited veterinary services, theft, shortages of pasture, poor housing and infrastructure, lack of access to finance and quality feed, marketing inefficiencies, and issues with land acquisition.

Climate change has further complicated the sector’s outlook, with rising temperatures, erratic weather patterns, and shifting ecosystems posing new risks to livestock health and productivity. Experts warn that these pressures not only threaten farmer livelihoods but also worsen the sector’s environmental footprint.

By upgrading breeding stations and increasing capacity, government hopes to address some of these long-standing challenges, improve livestock productivity, and strengthen Ghana’s food security.