Enterprise Trustees Limited has launched a partnership with Agrocenta, a digital food distribution platform, to provide retirement solutions as a value addition to small holder farmers in Afram Plains of Ghana.

Under the scheme, farmers will make voluntary personal pension contributions during the harvesting seasons from the sale of their produce to Agrocenta.  The benefits will include lump sum payouts, periodic withdrawals and a life insurance cover.

Agrocenta currently works with about 46,000 farmers across several regions in Ghana. These farmers will be assisted by Agrocenta field officers to enroll onto the Pensions Scheme via a USSD shortcode at the community level. 

The Assistant General Manager, Sales and Marketing for Enterprise Trustees, Mr. Maclean Aggrey-Fynn said, “we are delighted to launch this partnership with Agrocenta. This is significant as we look to develop tailor made retirement solutions for all informal sector workers in Ghana.

“At Enterprise Trustees we recognise that retirement income security is critical to the life of every worker irrespective of being in the formal or informal sector. This partnership will give farmers the peace of mind to work knowing that their retirement income is secure,” he added.

Lauding the initiative, education and sensitisation expert at the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA), Mrs. Rosina Akrofi said the NPRA is keen on the inclusion and expansion of informal sector workers under the 3-Tier Pension Scheme in Ghana.

“We welcome every sustainable initiative to improve enrolment onto personal pension schemes in the informal sector. Everyone needs retirement income security for the future and it is important to save towards it because you will not be able to work in your old age”.

She urged the farmers to embrace the programme and save towards their future.

Chief Executive Officer of Agrocenta, Mr. Francis Obirikorang, in his statement said the initiative is expected to provide income for farmers in their old age when they retire from farming, "we look forward to building on this partnership with Enterprise Trustees to extend this initiative to all our small holder farmers within our network across the country."

Agrocenta is a digital food distribution platform that seeks to improve the agricultural value chain in Ghana by solving two critical problems rural-based smallholder farmers faced namely, access to market and access to finance.