Maxwell Amponsah Mensah, the CEO of Amponsah Farms, is an inspiring poultry farmer in the Ashanti Region, specifically in Dunkwa Amassei West, Mango Akropong.
On Business Link with DJ Nyaami on SVTV Africa, Maxwell shared his journey into poultry farming. Although he initially started in 2019, he became fully committed to the business in 2022. He runs the farm as a partnership venture.
Maxwell attended Dunkwa St. Peter’s College Preparatory School before proceeding to Boampong Senior High School, where he studied Agriculture. He later attended Mawuli Agricultural College.
With the little money he had, he started an online business selling watermelon and later ventured into poultry farming, establishing Amponsah Farms. However, the journey wasn’t easy, as he initially struggled to find encouragement and support. Most of his friends entered the mining sector, and while some succeeded, mining didn’t work out for him. During his school days, he did an attachment selling coconut seedlings, which helped him learn the basics of agribusiness.
One morning, Maxwell was harvesting tomatoes at home when he visited his boss in search of a job. His boss mentioned that his brother was into poultry farming, and that business was not doing well due to poor sales.
Despite a failed attempt at the beginning, they started with 10,000 birds and worked tirelessly to expand. Over time, their efforts paid off, and they now have over 120,000 birds and later 80,000bird. The farm has grown significantly, with a fully automated battery cage system covering six plots of land.
The farm currently sells eggs worth 100,000 GHC daily and supplies several regions, including Takoradi, Kumasi, and Dunkwa. They have 80,000 birds producing eggs and a battery of cages with a capacity of 120,000 birds. The business has also created employment for 60 workers, with the lowest salary being 900 GHC per month.
Despite the success, Maxwell admitted that poultry farming comes with significant risks. He once lost 4,000 chickens in a single day due to unforeseen circumstances, including predators like snakes and dogs. There was also a tragic incident where they imported 25,000 chicks, but before they arrived at the airport, they had all died.
Due to these challenges, he emphasized the importance of hiring committed workers to run the business effectively. Many young people in Ghana are looking for quick money and are unwilling to get their hands dirty, but agriculture—especially poultry farming—is a profitable venture if done correctly.
Maxwell also believes that Ghanaian leaders and consultants are not properly guiding the youth. He shared that wealthy individuals in Ghana are yet to fully recognize the potential of the poultry industry, and some professionals in the sector take advantage of young farmers by misleading them for personal gain.
Despite the challenges, Maxwell is optimistic about the future of poultry farming in Ghana. He dreams of becoming the Minister of Agriculture one day to help strengthen the sector. He believes that Ghana can build an entire agricultural economy based on poultry, as eggs are a rich source of protein and in high demand.
However, for the poultry industry to thrive, the government must provide more support, including investment in local feed production, fertilizers, and farm expansion. He also encourages Ghanaian youth to consider farming, as it is a viable and profitable career.
Maxwell concluded by saying,
“I will only travel abroad for holidays because Ghana is good. Our leaders make us believe it’s not, but we can succeed here.”
Location & Contact Information
For inquiries and egg supplies, Maxwell Amponsah Mensah can be reached on:
- Location: Dunkwa Amassei West, Mango Akropong
- Social Media:
- TikTok: @MBA Maxwell Barima Amponsah
- Facebook: Maxwell Amponsah Mensah
- Instagram: Amponsah Farms
Maxwell encourages young people to explore agriculture, study the business, and stay committed. According to him,
“If you take your time and build your farm properly, you will succeed. The key is patience, knowledge, and persistence.”
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