President John Dramani Mahama has cut the sod for the construction of a Poultry, Meat and Feed Processing Factory at Bechem in the Ahafo Region, marking a major milestone in the government’s flagship poultry revitalisation initiative, the Nkoko Nketenketen Project.

The facility, expected to be completed within 12 months, will have the capacity to process 3,000 birds per day. According to President Mahama, the Bechem project has been designed as a state-of-the-art agro-industrial hub that will strengthen every link in the poultry value chain.

He explained that the complex will feature a modern feed processing plant to produce affordable, high-quality feed, as well as a hygienic meat processing unit capable of meeting both domestic and export market standards. It will also include a training academy for young farmers and technical personnel, residential and dormitory facilities for long-term training, and cold storage and dry warehouse systems to preserve product quality and minimise losses.

The President described the factory as one of several anchor projects aimed at positioning Ghana as a competitive force in the poultry and livestock industry.

“This is not merely an industrial plant; it is a centre of excellence for poultry development, innovation, research and agribusiness incubation,” he said. “It will attract private investment and serve as a foundation for rural industrialisation.”

He added that similar processing facilities will be established in other regions to support the expected increase in poultry production under the Nkoko Nketenketen Project.

The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, noted that the Bechem factory will also incorporate a waste-treatment component that will convert by-products from the plant into feed for poultry and fisheries, as well as fertiliser for farmers.