The Department of Animal Science at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has organized a five-day residential training program for poultry consultants, experts, and farmers drawn from selected regions across the country.

The workshop, themed “Annual Capacity Building Project: Bridging the Technology Transfer Gap for Poultry Experts and Consultants in Ghana,” brought together 20 industry players for an intensive short course focused on emerging trends within the poultry sector.

The training was supported by the American Soybean Association (ASA), the Animal Science Department at KNUST, the Ghana Skills Development Fund (GSDF), and the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH).

Lead trainer Professor Jacob Alhassan Hamidu, in an interview with Daily Agric News, emphasized that exposing local poultry consultants to such advanced knowledge and practices could revolutionize Ghana’s poultry industry, much like the transformation seen in the United States over the past five decades.

He explained that the five-day training aims to close the knowledge gap among consultants and extension officers—individuals who work closely with poultry farmers and are positioned to influence improved practices. This, he noted, is crucial for reducing challenges that affect profitability, especially for women involved in poultry farming.

According to Prof. Hamidu, the workshop targeted two main groups:
1. Those responsible for managing day-old chicks during the critical first two weeks after arrival, focusing on care and husbandry techniques for healthy development.
2. Consultants and extension workers, to enhance their understanding of the science behind poultry farming and help farmers build sustainable, business-oriented poultry enterprises.

He further noted that deepening the knowledge of both farmers and technical experts could significantly reduce the high mortality rates commonly recorded in poultry farms. In tropical climates, chicks face considerable challenges in their first two weeks, with losses ranging from 10% to 20% due to inadequate care. He stressed that limited knowledge among farm workers compromises the birds’ survival, leading to poor growth, higher morbidity, and reduced productivity.

The training also introduced participants to modern poultry technologies, including digital feed formulation and farm budgeting tools. Additional modules covered improved housing standards, feed allocation strategies, heat stress reduction, and egg production optimization.

Speaking on the sidelines of the workshop, Prof. Hamidu shared that between 2015 and 2025, the Animal Science Department at KNUST has successfully led three Skills Development Fund projects worth over GHS 5 million. These projects focused on developing comprehensive training manuals on hatchery management and poultry husbandry.

He noted that the department possesses both the technical expertise and logistical capacity—alongside strong collaborations with poultry farmers who avail their facilities—to deliver practical, hands-on training, particularly to smallholder and women farmers.