WAFAD Group, an agribusiness enterprise in Ghana, in partnership with Hubbard Breeders, has launched an initiative to uplift rural communities through sustainable dual-purpose poultry production.
The five-year programme is part of the Gates Foundation’s broader effort to strengthen inclusive poultry systems across sub-Saharan Africa, with the localised objective to empower over 250,000 smallholder farmers in Ghana, with a special focus on women and youth, through the CHICKEN4U project.
Under the initiative, WAFAD will produce and distribute millions of high-quality dual-purpose birds locally, branded as GRANGER, to small-scale farmers across Ghana.
The CHICKEN4U model integrates training, input support, veterinary care, feed supply, and structured market access, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem that enhances food security, generates income, and improves nutrition in rural households.
Project
“CHICKEN4U is not just a project, it’s a movement,” the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of WAFAD Group, Ebenezer K. Yeboah, said in a statement.
“Through this partnership, we are unlocking rural prosperity, empowering women and youth to become agri-entrepreneurs, and making poultry a reliable source of food and income for every household in Ghana,” the statement added.
Modernisation in Ghana
The statement said to ensure effective implementation, WAFAD Group was embarking on a comprehensive modernisation programme to strengthen Ghana’s poultry value chain by deploying a new state-of-the-art hatchery, feedmill upgrades, modern breeder farms, and recruitment and training of over 100 sales and technical officers.
“With strong technical and genetic support from Hubbard Breeders, and strategic investment from the Gates Foundation, the CHICKEN4U initiative will reach over 250,000 rural households across Ghana,” the statement said.
Distribution
The initiative will involve the distribution of five million dual-purpose birds annually for both meat and egg production, the establishment of over 2,000 mother unit operators as rural brooder hubs and distribution centres, and the promotion of local feed production and vaccine access to strengthen resilience and sustainability.
“The project builds on WAFAD’s proven track record in poultry production, agribusiness innovation, and community empowerment. Through the CHICKEN4U model, WAFAD is creating real opportunities for small-scale farmers to grow food, earn income, and change lives,” the statement said.
“Hubbard is delighted to support WAFAD’s CHICKEN4U project,” the Managing Director of Hubbard, Olivier Rochard, said.
“By combining our world-class genetics with WAFAD’s strong local expertise, we are helping to make poultry farming a sustainable and profitable venture in even the most remote villages of Ghana,” he added.
