PROJECT MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES AND PERFORMANCE OF AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS IN KIAMBU COUNTY, KENYA

George Bisera Kambuni, Dr. Anthony Osoro

Abstract


The Agricultural sector employs a significant portion of the population, especially in rural areas, and contributes substantially to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, the performance of agriculture projects has emerged as a pressing concern amid increasing challenges, including climate change, natural resource depletion, population growth, and market volatility. The main objective of the study was to examine the influence of project management principles on performance of agricultural projects in Kiambu county, Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to assess the influence of project value on performance of agricultural projects in Kiambu county, Kenya, and to determine the influence of project leadership on performance of agricultural projects in Kiambu county, Kenya. A descriptive design was used in this research. The study targeted all 124 Community Driven Agriculture Projects officers from the Ministry of Agriculture in the county government of Kiambu. The study used census method since the study population was small. Questionnaires were the selected instrument for data collection for the study. The study carried out a pilot study to pre-test and validate the questionnaire. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze the data. The validity  results show that project revenue  had and Average Variance Explained (AVE) of 0.537, project leadership 0.532 and project  performance had AVE of 0.530.  Reliability statistics show that project value had a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.742 and project performance 0.758. The questionnaire was hence considered valid and reliable. Findings show that; there is a strong significant relationship between project value and project performance (r=0.628, p=0.000), a strong significant relationship between project leadership and project performance (r=0.819, p=0.000). The recommendations are; the project managers should also ensure that the farmers are provided with adequate resources, equipment, and other inputs that may enable them to produce valuable products that meet the market quality. Project team members should receive communication promptly and regularly and the project mission should be clearly defined and broken into measurable outcomes, the project managers should have flexible project designs. This enabled them to incorporate changes that may be suggested by the project stakeholders.

Key Words: Project Management Principles, Project Value, Project Leadership, Performance of Agricultural Projects, Kiambu County


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