The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has disclosed the significant strides made by the Mineral Development Fund (MDF) to roll out a poultry feed initiative in promoting sustainable development and diversifying livelihoods in mining communities.
He underscored the importance of creating alternative economic opportunities for residents of mining areas, noting that the MDF has become an essential vehicle for achieving these objectives under the leadership of the Ministry.
According to the Minister, one of the Fund’s most promising initiatives currently underway is a comprehensive feasibility study into poultry feed production.
“…the Mineral Development Fund, which has implemented several strategic initiatives to foster sustainable development and create alternative economic opportunities in mining communities, under the auspices of the Ministry, the MDF is conducting a comprehensive feasibility study for poultry feed production to complement the government’s Nkoko Nketekete project.”
Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah
The Minister described the poultry feed initiative as not only timely but also critical to Ghana’s broader efforts to build resilience in local economies and reduce overdependence on imported products.
He explained that by investing in local poultry feed production, the Ministry hopes to strengthen the foundation for a more self-sufficient agricultural sector while addressing the economic challenges faced by mining communities that are often plagued by limited employment alternatives.
Cutting Poultry Import
“This is a very serious project to think about, and that is why this initiative is a very welcome one,” Hon. Armah Kofi Buah remarked. He pointed out that imported poultry feed accounts for a substantial share of agricultural input costs in Ghana, placing financial strain on local poultry farmers and limiting the sector’s growth potential.
The MDF’s intervention, he said, seeks to tackle this issue from the ground up—starting with the feed supply chain. By producing feed locally, the project aims to reduce the country’s reliance on imports, support national food security efforts, and expand economic opportunities for young people, particularly in areas historically reliant on mining for livelihoods.
The initiative aligns with the government flagship program called “Feed Ghana“, launched with the goal of reviving Ghana’s poultry and livestock industry by means of a public-private partnership.
In the next four years, it intends to teach 20,000 young Ghanaians—especially women and those living in rural areas—how to raise livestock and poultry. The initiative also aims to increase domestic poultry production, upgrade feed mills, and make feed more affordable and accessible.
The Minister’s remarks reflect a growing recognition by the current administration of the need to move beyond an extractive model of development in Ghana’s mining regions.
While mineral resources have historically contributed significantly to national revenue, the long-term social and economic benefits to local communities have often fallen short of expectations.
The MDF’s latest initiatives are designed to reverse this trend by targeting productive sectors that can deliver enduring benefits to local populations.
MDF’s Broader Plans
According to the Lands Minister, the poultry feed project is part of a wider set of strategies being pursued by the Mineral Development Fund to ensure that mining revenues are channelled into programs that have tangible, lasting impacts on communities.
Under its current mandate, he noted that the Fund is increasingly supporting interventions in agriculture, infrastructure, and education, with a strong emphasis on economic diversification and environmental sustainability.
Hon. Armah Kofi Buah’s reference to the Nkoko Nketekete project also signals alignment between the Ministry’s resource management goals and the broader policy priorities of the government.
As Ghana continues to pursue its food self-sufficiency agenda, the integration of initiatives like poultry feed production into mining community development efforts demonstrates a strategic convergence between different sectors of national development.
In his closing remarks, the Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to using mining revenues not just to manage the sector itself, but to improve the lives of Ghanaians in mining areas.
He emphasised the importance of investing in ventures that can reduce vulnerability, empower communities, and build a more resilient and diversified economy.
The Mineral Development Fund’s exploration of poultry feed production stands out as a practical and forward-looking example of how extractive revenues can be reinvested into projects that contribute to national goals while directly benefiting local communities.
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