March 14, 2022

 

Ghana to provide US$2.3 million in compensation to poultry farmers affected by bird flu

 

 

The Ghanaian government has allocated GHS 17 million (~US$2.3 million; GHS 1 = US$0.14) in compensation to poultry farmers affected by bird flu in the country, the Ghana News Agency reported.

 

Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Ghana's Minister of Food and Agriculture, said the amount is part of a GHS 20 million (US$2.7 million) allocation to be channeled towards compensation to farmers, purchase of decontamination materials, and communication materials to be disseminated to farmers on how to eliminate the disease.

 

Compensation will be provided to 167 poultry farms affected by bird flu from July to December 2021, as well as another 37 farms affected by the disease from 2015 to 2018.

 

Farmers will be given GHS 30 (~US$4.19) per bird, GHS 20 (~US$2.79) per pullet, GHS 10 (~US$1.40) per chick, GHS 80 (~US$11.17) per bag of livestock feed, and GHS 10 (~US$1.40) per crate of eggs.

 

Compensation for farmers affected by bird flu this year will be provided in a second tranche after the disbursement to the farmers from 2015 to 2021.

 

The minister also said the government will employ 550 new veterinary professionals and purchase vehicles, motorbikes and laboratory equipment to contain future outbreaks.

 

He called on poultry farmers to increase biosecurity and improve management practices on farms, as well as avoid restocking until certification from the ministry.

 

The biometric registration of poultry farmers has been rolled out by the Ghanaian government to modernise poultry farming in the country and enhancing the accuracy of data for planning, targeting for support, and payment of compensations in future.

 

The minister urged Victor Oppong Adjei, chairman of the Ghana National Poultry Farmers Association, to encourage members to join in the biometric registration.

 

Ghana has reported a total of 554,638 birds have been affected by bird flu in the country, with 1,701.5 bags of feed destroyed and 2,548 crates of egg were affected. No new outbreaks have been confirmed since February 2, 2022.

 

-      Ghana News Agency