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Strong research effort needed to
reduce mortality rate of young guinea fowls
Tamale, Nov. 27, Ghanadot/GNA - Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris,
Northern Regional Minister Agricultural, on Tuesday appealed
to scientists to step up research to reduce the high
mortality rate associated with rearing of young guinea
fowls.
He said it was estimated that farmers could increase their
incomes and profits by eleven fold if they were able to
control guinea fowl mortality to acceptable levels.
Alhaji Idris said mortality rate of the young birds, which
sometimes stood as high as 90 per cent constituted a huge
resource waste and was demoralising farmers.
He was addressing a two-day workshop on "National Strategic
Planning on Guinea Fowl" in Tamale.
The workshop brought together experts from the Ministry of
Food and Agriculture, (MOFA), the International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD), Action Aid Ghana, the
Market-oriented Agricultural Programme (MOAP) and the German
Technical Cooperation (GTZ).
They would discuss: "Overview of the Guinea fowl
chain/industry in the North", "Early and recent research
results on guinea fowl production" and analyze the
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the
guinea fowl industry.
Alhaji Idris said the workshop offered a unique opportunity
for indigenous guinea fowl farmers to share experiences to
help improve on the production, processing and marketing of
guinea fowl products.
He urged MOFA to step up its education on the bird flu virus
and to find solutions to the chronic shortages of good
quality eggs for incubation during certain times of the
season.
Mr. Mark Fynn, the Programme Advisor for the GTZ, commended
MOFA and the scientist from the Animal Research Institute
and other partners for their consistent efforts in bringing
the guinea fowl into prominence since the first stakeholder
meeting two years ago.
He said all what was now required was to define a strategic
direction and investment programme for the full integrated
development of the guinea fowl.
Mr. Sylvester Adongo, the Regional Director of MOFA, said
with the large number of stakeholders now involved in the
guinea fowl industry and the serious attention it was
receiving he was convinced the programme could achieve good
results.
GNA
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