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Aspirations intervention to enhance savings and food security in Ghana

Last registered on March 04, 2020
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Aspirations intervention to enhance savings and food security in Ghana
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0005336
Initial registration date
March 04, 2020

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
March 04, 2020, 11:57 AM EST

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country
Ghana
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa

Primary Investigator

Name
Robert Lensink
Affiliation
University of Groningen
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Annika Mueller
PI Affiliation
University of Groningen
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2019-09-16
End date
2021-01-04
Keywords
Agriculture, Finance & Microfinance
Additional Keywords
Savings; Pensions; Aspirational Hope, Video Intervention; Cocoa Farmers; Ghana
JEL code(s)
C93, D90, E21
Secondary IDs
Abstract
The project investigates how to increase the long-term savings of cocoa farmers in Ghana, with the aim of improving food security. While cocoa farmers are very eager to open savings accounts, it turns out to be difficult for them to continue savings for old age. We study whether long-term savings can be increased by showing a pension documentary (Video), and/or handing out a savings calendar. We hypothesize that the pension documentary can increase viewers’ savings by raising their aspirations, and savings are important for future food security. In this field experiment, we work with about 750 cocoa farmers in 2 Ghanaian cocoa cooperatives, and randomly assign them to two treatment groups and one control group.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Lensink, Robert and Annika Mueller. 2020. "Aspirations intervention to enhance savings and food security in Ghana." AEA RCT Registry. March 04. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.5336-1.0
Sponsors & Partners

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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We work with a sample of 750 cocoa farmers from two cooperatives in Ghana: SUHUM and FANTEAKWA. These farmers opened a long-term savings account with people pension trust (PPT). The sample of farmers has been randomly distributed (stratified by community) in 3 groups: (1) a control group, without intervention; (2) a treatment group in which individuals were shown a documentary on pensions (an “aspirations” video) and (3) a treatment group in which individuals were shown the same documentary on pensions. Moreover, individuals in this treatment group obtained a calendar in which they could write down their saving plans on a monthly basis. Individuals in groups 1 and 2 received a placebo calendar.
Intervention Start Date
2019-09-16
Intervention End Date
2020-04-01

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Savings; Aspirations; Hope; Agency;
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
We have three types of outcome variables.
A) aspirational hope, measured via the following questions:
1. Indicate the level of satisfaction/happiness with your financial situation you wish to achieve in old age / the future.
2. Indicate the level of satisfaction/happiness with your financial situation you expect to achieve in old age / the future if you do make adjustments to the way you are financially preparing to the best of your ability.
3. It is important to set financial goals, when planning for old age / the future.

B) Individual savings: long term savings (which we obtain from administartive data from PPT), and other types of savings (vai questionnaire)
C)Aricultural inputs: use of fertilizer; land preparation; planting new seedlings (to be collected via specific questionnaire modules.)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Income
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We work with a sample of 750 cocoa farmers from two cooperatives in Ghana: SUHUM and FANTEAKWA. These farmers opened a long-term savings account with people pension trust (PPT). The sample of farmers has been randomly distributed (stratified by community) in 3 groups: (1) a control group, without intervention; (2) a treatment group in which individuals were shown a documentary on pensions (an “aspirations” video) and (3) a treatment group in which individuals were shown the same documentary on pensions. Moreover, individuals in this treatment group obtained a calendar in which they could write down their saving plans on a monthly basis. Individuals in groups 1 and 2 received a placebo calendar.
Experimental Design Details
We work with a sample of 750 cocoa farmers from two cooperatives in Ghana: SUHUM and FANTEAKWA. These farmers opened a long-term savings account with people pension trust (PPT). The sample of farmers has been randomly distributed (stratified by community) in 3 groups: (1) a control group, without intervention; (2) a treatment group in which individuals were shown a documentary on pensions (an “aspirations” video) and (3) a treatment group in which individuals were shown the same documentary on pensions. Moreover, individuals in this treatment group obtained a calendar in which they could write down their saving plans on a monthly basis. Individuals in groups 1 and 2 received a placebo calendar.
Randomization Method
We use stratified randomization; randomization done with a computer in an office.
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
We stratify at community level; 50 communities
Sample size: planned number of observations
750 cocoa farmers
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
250 farmers per treatment arm.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
The minimum detectable standardised effect size equals around 0.20 for the main outcome variables (see uploaded pre-analysis plan)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Institutional Review Board Faculty of Economics and Business University of Groningen
IRB Approval Date
2020-01-15
IRB Approval Number
RDMPFEB-20200115-10406
Analysis Plan

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Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

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Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
No
Data Collection Complete
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials