Building a Humane Future for Ghana’s Pig Farming
As factory-style pig farming expands across Ghana, we at WACPAW/EonA are working tirelessly to ensure the welfare mistakes of industrialized nations are not repeated. During our recent return visit to @piperprettygh Farm, we trained farm staff, managers, and slaughter men in three transformative areas: understanding pig behavior and intelligence, implementing welfare-friendly housing, and performing humane emergency slaughter.
Many on the farm experienced an eye-opening shift in perspective. They learned how pigs—highly intelligent, social animals—thrive when allowed to express natural behaviors like rooting, foraging, exploring, and resting. We replaced painful practices such as tail docking with practical, low-stress solutions: more space, accessible water points, and enrichment to reduce harmful behaviors.
Critically, we demonstrated emergency slaughter using a captive bolt stunner, ensuring pigs lose consciousness before slaughter. In Ghana—like most non-industrialized countries—such equipment is neither manufactured nor accessible, leaving pigs to endure brutal conscious killings. The farm manager, deeply inspired, immediately requested one of our stunners and invited us back to track their progress.
We left hopeful. Every small change—extra space, rooting opportunities, or a painless end—reduces suffering. Ghana’s farming future can be different. With empathy, education, and locally adapted tools, we’re proving a humane path is possible
