July 2, 2026
 

Guinea launches US$563 million poultry strategy to cut imports and expand feed production by 2030

The five-year plan targets poultry self-sufficiency as chicken imports have risen 54% since 2020, with imported product entering the market at 40-60% below local production cost.

Guinea's Ministry of Livestock has unveiled a GNF5.124 trillion (US$563 million) five-year investment strategy for the poultry sector covering 2026 to 2030, targeting self-sufficiency in poultry meat and eggs while reducing the country's annual import bill of more than US$100 million.

The strategy, presented on 29 June, is to be financed by the government, development partners and private investors. Its seven priorities include expanding animal feed production, improving biosecurity, reforming the commercial framework, and strengthening the broader poultry value chain.

The scale of the import challenge is significant. FAO data show Guinea's chicken imports rose 54.3% between 2020 and 2024, from 57,421 tonnes to 88,590 tonnes, while domestic poultry meat production averaged just 13,806 tonnes annually over the same period and has yet to exceed 15,000 tonnes in a single year. Guinea has more than 25.2 million birds, but only 7% are raised under semi-intensive production systems, with the sector remaining dominated by traditional household farming.

Livestock Minister Félix Lamah said structural cost disadvantages are at the core of the competitiveness problem. "Imported products enter our market at prices that are 40% to 60% below the actual cost of locally produced chickens," he said.

The government is also considering import quotas and trade barriers to protect domestic producers while remaining compliant with international trade agreements. Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah said restrictions would be targeted at product categories where domestic production already exists, with imports permitted only to cover supply gaps.

Private investment is beginning to move ahead of the strategy. In March 2026, Guinean conglomerate Sonoco announced a US$20 million investment in an integrated poultry project covering feed production through to distribution.

- Ecofin Agency