The pilot program has started in the Assin Fosu Municipal Assembly, Assin South, and the Assin North District Assembly.

This exercise marks a historic milestone in the Ghanaian cocoa sector.

The program, which began on August 6, 2024, is expected to ensure real-time deductions of the farmers’ contributions to the scheme ahead of the nationwide rollout in the main crop season, set to start on October 1, 2024.

Mr. Stephen Kissi of Assin Amoani, a cocoa farming community in the Assin Fosu District, is among five farmers in the district who became the first to have his 5% pension contribution deducted on August 6, 2024.

The 38-year-old cocoa farmer has been farming for the past five years and cultivates nine acres of cocoa.

Some beneficiaries of the pilot project expressed excitement about being part of history and urged their fellow farmers to participate in the pilot deduction exercise to ensure they enjoy a decent pension when they retire from active farming.

Addressing the farmers at Amoani, the leader of the sensitization team, Mr. David Asare Oduro of the Public Affairs Department of COCOBOD, appealed to farmers to seize the opportunity to be part of history.

He mentioned that for 40 years, the board had been planning to fulfill a provision in the COCOBOD Law that requires a pension scheme for cocoa farmers across the country.

Mr. Asare explained that, the delay in the rollout was primarily due to the need for a robust electronic register of farmers, which is essential for a successful pension scheme.

He also revealed that other challenges within the supply chain needed to be addressed to achieve a smooth exercise.

SOURCE: Alfred Amoh

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The scheme, which was launched by President Akufo-Addo on December 2, 2020, is to provide pension for about 1.5 million cocoa farmers.

This, according to the President, will enable cocoa farmers to make voluntary contributions towards their retirement, whilst COCOBOD makes a supplementary contribution on behalf of the farmers as well.

Addressing the 38^th National Farmers’ Day celebration on Friday, the President could not hide his excitement at the prospect of the roll out.

“I am happy to announce again that the CMS is ready, setting in motion the processes for rolling out the much-anticipated cocoa farmers pension scheme,” he said.

The President explained that the mandatory scheme will come into full force in the current 2022/2023 crop season.

He said the scheme will provide decent pensions for cocoa farmers after a minimum of five years contribution.

The President stated that government has begun the implementation of the Cocoa Management System (CMS) to help establish a credible database on Ghana’s cocoa farmers.

“The integrated cocoa farm database which includes a census of all cocoa farmers in Ghana as well as mapping of all farms will ensure for the first time the availability of correct, accurate information on land size, geographic locations, populations, and records of cocoa farmers and farms in Ghana,” he said.

In the interim, the President urged Ghanaians to support the government to bring to a halt the menace of illegal mining as it affects cocoa farms

“Fellow Ghanaians, the sustainability of the cocoa sector is contingent on how effectively we are able to fight the devastating effect of  the illegal mining menace ‘galamsey.”’

“All of us, farmers and citizens have a collective responsibility to bring this environmental canker to a halt if we do not want to ruin the inheritance our forefathers bequeathed us,” he added.