Gabon Unveils Ambitious Drive to Boost Local Poultry Production

Gabon is stepping up efforts to rebuild its poultry industry with the launch of an ambitious training program targeting 40,000 workers. The initiative is designed to strengthen skills across the entire poultry value chain, from feed production and hatchery operations to broiler farming, slaughtering and meat processing, all with the goal of reducing the country’s dependence on imported chicken.

Source: feedbusinessmea

Officials say the program marks a major shift toward empowering local producers and expanding domestic supply, which has long fallen short of national demand. The government has already set a bold target by announcing that broiler chicken imports will be banned from January 1, 2027, a move intended to give homegrown producers the space and market confidence needed to scale up.

Recent data from the FAO highlights the urgency of the initiative: Gabon brought in an average of 84,912 tonnes of poultry meat each year between 2019 and 2023, while local farms produced just 4,122 tonnes annually. Bridging this gap has now become a national priority.

Momentum is building as the government pairs training efforts with major industrial investments. On October 31, Gabon signed a landmark agreement with Algeria’s Groupe Graine International to develop seven breeding farms, a hatchery and an industrial slaughterhouse capable of delivering more than 72,000 tonnes of chicken meat per year by 2027—an $83 million commitment aimed at reshaping the industry.

Another partnership, sealed earlier in October with Turkish firm Hakan Kiran, will establish a new broiler production facility alongside a modern feed mill, further supporting the country’s push toward self-sufficiency.

Authorities stress that poultry remains central to Gabon’s broader food security strategy. With training and industrial expansion moving in tandem, the country is plotting a clear path toward a more resilient and sustainable poultry sector within the next few years.