As of 2024, livestock in Ghana contributed around 5.4 billion Ghanaian cedis (GHS), roughly 348.4 million U.S. dollars, to the country's GDP. This represented nearly 13 percent of the contribution of agriculture to GDP in the country. In 2023, the added value of the livestock industry to GDP amounted to approximately 5.2 billion GHS (335.6 million U.S. dollars), following an upward trend observed since 2013.Â
Chickens in Ghana are in the livestock lead
Rural populations in Ghana are usually more engaged in farming and animal husbandry in comparison to their urban counterparts. In recent years, the country’s livestock production index has exceeded 100 points, showing an increased growth in livestock breeding. At the national level, chickens, goats, and sheep form the major species reared. As of 2022, the population of each animal amounted to over 88.6 million, 8.6 million, and 5.8 million, respectively. In fact, live chickens in Ghana considerably increased from around 47.8 million heads in 2010 to nearly 89 million heads in 2022.
The situation in Africa is similar
Likewise in Ghana, chickens, goats, and sheep are the main livestock reared in Africa. In 2022, the count of chicken heads reached over 2.4 billion on the continent. That of goats and sheep amounted to around 506 million and 419 million, respectively. Moreover, the majority of live chickens were found in Egypt. On the other hand, the largest goat and sheep population was found in Nigeria.