As part of efforts to reduce unemployment in rural areas in Ghana and to ensure food security, World Vision Ghana, with its partner Kia Motors Korea, has inaugurated a poultry farm for the Saaman Community in the Fanteakwa South District of the Eastern Region.
The 2000 birds poultry farm is supposed to provide work opportunities for residents in the community and is also expected to be another source of revenue to run the Kia Green Light Health Center and mobile clinic which was inaugurated for the community several years ago.
The poultry farm consists of an office, changing room, store, two pens of 1000 birds capacity each, a kitchen and 2 bed-room accommodation facility.
Speaking at the commissioning of the project at the Saaman community center, the Acting National Director and Director for People and Culture Akua Mensah reiterated the commitment of World Vision in improving the lives of the less privileged in rural areas.
“The KIA Green Light Health project which is funded by Kia Motors Korea has constructed one (1) Poultry Farmhouse with 2000 birds valued at GH¢422,508) ($73,865) which is located at Saaman community. The Farm consists of an office, changing room, store, two pens of 1000 birds’ capacity each, a kitchen and 2 bed-room accommodation facility.
She maintained, “The poultry enterprise is a social enterprise which uses its profits to tackle social problems within the beneficiary communities. Profit-sharing ratio is in three parts. 30% of proceeds go to support the operationalisation of the KIA Green Light Health Center and Mobile Health Clinic van activities, 40% for the expansion of the poultry business and 30% to support households or community-led projects”.
The Acting National Director and Director for People and Culture said a 13-member committee was constituted to handle issues relating to operations, finance, equipment and advisory.
“To ensure the smooth running of the KIA Green Light Poultry farm, the project in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture developed a management plan to facilitate the operation of the farm, a thirteen-member committee was constituted to handle issues relating to operations, finance, equipment, and advisory. The project also trained members to take up various responsibilities to ensure the smooth operation of the poultry farm, the maintenance of the equipment and ensure a clean environment. This is to ensure the sustainability of the Poultry farm,” Madam Akua Mensah stated.
She however called on all stakeholders including the community to properly maintain the facility.
“I strongly urge all community members to be actively involved in the utilisation and maintenance of this Poultry farm. The Poultry farm workers will only be able to deliver quality services if they have access to sufficient resources to keep the Poultry farm running. Promoting good health, food security and economic empowerment in your community calls for the commitment of all stakeholders including community members and district assembly members, to mobilise and manage financial resources,” she said.
Spokesperson for Nananom and Saaman community Opanyin Eugene Kyeremanteng showed appreciation for the kind gesture.
“We are pleased by this gesture from World Vision and Kia Korea, this is not the first time they are bringing development to our community. They first gave as an ultra-modern health centre with bungalows for physician assistants and nurses, water projects and now this poultry farm. We can’t thank you enough,” Opanyin Eugene Kyeremanteng thanked.
