Member Spotlight: Kuipers Breeders Ghana – Building a Strong Poultry Sector in West Africa

GNBCC Member:

Kuipers Breeders Ghana is playing a transformative role in strengthening poultry production and food security in Ghana and the wider West African region through local production, technical innovation, and long-term investment.

Founded by Dutch poultry entrepreneur Jurjen Kuipers, Kuipers Breeders Ghana emerged from a clear vision: to reduce reliance on imported day-old chicks and establish high-quality local production that supports farmers, creates jobs, and strengthens food systems. The COVID-19 period exposed Ghana’s vulnerability to supply disruptions, reinforcing the importance of building resilient, local agricultural value chains.

Operating from Amuyakope near Sege in the Greater Accra Region, the company runs a modern poultry operation producing locally hatched day-old layer chicks under European standards for management, vaccination, and biosecurity. Today, Kuipers Breeders supplies chicks to thousands of farmers in Ghana, as well as customers in Togo, Burkina Faso, and Côte d’Ivoire, with some farmers travelling long distances to access reliable, high-quality stock.

A key differentiator of Kuipers Breeders Ghana is its “starting strong” philosophy, emphasising the importance of a high-quality start in a hen’s life to ensure long-term productivity. Local production eliminates the stress and risks associated with long-distance air transport of chicks and gives farmers greater certainty and independence.

The operation is highly integrated and largely self-sufficient. Kuipers Breeders manages its own construction, maintenance, power generation, water systems, and logistics, ensuring reliability in an environment where infrastructure challenges remain significant. The farm is equipped with tunnel-ventilated poultry houses, Dutch-designed housing systems, modern hatchery technology, and extensive solar and water infrastructure to support year-round operations.

Beyond production, Kuipers Breeders Ghana is deeply committed to capacity building and social impact. The company employs around 130 staff, offering stable employment, training, healthcare support, meals, and pension contributions. Employees gain valuable technical skills, enabling long-term career development within Ghana’s agricultural sector.

Sustainability is embedded in daily operations. Poultry manure is distributed to local farmers and communities for crop production, hatchery waste is repurposed through fish farming, and water is treated and reused, making the operation one of the few sites in the area with clean, safe tap water.

Kuipers Breeders also invests in knowledge sharing, working with partners such as De Heus to organise farmer seminars on animal welfare, ventilation, nutrition, hygiene, and management practices. These initiatives support Ghana’s growing poultry sector and help farmers improve productivity and profitability.

In recognition of its impact, Kuipers Breeders Ghana was named Agribusiness Entrepreneur of the Year in Ghana in 2025, acknowledging its innovative, sustainable, and locally rooted approach to poultry production.

Through the combination of Dutch expertise, local labour, strict biosecurity, and long-term commitment, Kuipers Breeders Ghana continues to strengthen food security, create livelihoods, and contribute meaningfully to agricultural development in West Africa.

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