October 21, 2003
Africa's Guinea Fowl Production Holds the Key To Poultry Industry Development
Production of Guinea fowl on commercial basis in Africa, no doubt, holds the key to the development of the country's poultry industry. The technology for commercial and scientific production however, remained largely unknown due to the fact that over the years, farmers have largely depended on traditional methods to domesticate these birds from the wild.
Consumption of Guinea fowl was limited to North Africa and in time past they were given out as gifts to visitors from South Africa to that part of the country. Consumption over the last few decades has, however, become popular with people in the south as well, due to various reasons.
As more and more people become conscious of their health, the need to eat health-promoting food becomes paramount. Besides its good taste, nutritionists attest to the low fat content of Guinea fowl and so for those who want to avoid fatty meat, Guinea fowl is the answer.
Africa's health authorities have expressed concern about the consumption of fatty meat and poultry products by Ghanaians, which has become a major cause of deaths in hospitals.
Because foreign chicken products are cheap on the market, many people consume them with possible risk to health.
Apart from its health risk, the importation of poultry products is crippling the local industry. Even though outright ban on the importation of chicken products may not be feasible now, the government has the duty to protect the local poultry industry and Ghanaians from consuming unhealthy products.
Due to health concern, Africa government seems likely to welcome the initiative of Asamoah and Yamoah Farms in Kumasi in promoting Guinea fowl farming as a commercial business.
According to Mr. Joseph Asamoah Ntim, last year the company hatched 3,000 Guinea fowl chicks, which were nurtured into maturity and sold on the local and international markets.
This year the company has 2,500 matured fowls, which it hopes to husband to produce chicks for sale to farmers by March 2004.
Asamoah and Yamoah farms are not the only people who have attempted to make the production of Guinea fowl scientific. There's also a similar project at the University for Development Studies in Tamale where efforts are being made to produce Guinea fowl chicks for sale to farmers. The Veterinary College at Pong-Tamale also started a hatchery sometime ago with foreign breed imported from Belgium to cross with the local breed.
