Monitoring and Evaluation Techniques and Performance of Agriculture Grant-Funded Projects in Kakamega County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t3174Abstract
Agricultural grant-funded projects play an integral role in supporting Kakamega County's economic development and achieving food security and poverty alleviation. The County Government of Kakamega has implemented agricultural interventions to aid farmers and provide extension services to support its economic growth. Project management has been considered effective and efficient in enhancing project outcomes. The study investigated the effect of project management techniques on the performance of agricultural grant-funded projects in Kakamega County, Kenya. Specific objectives were to determine the effect of stakeholder participation on performance, to establish the effect of project managers’ competency on performance, to determine the effect of communication management on performance and to establish the effect of monitoring and evaluation on the performance of agricultural grant-funded projects in Kakamega County, Kenya. The balanced scorecard, program theory, and stakeholder theories guided the study. A descriptive research design was adopted, targeting 338 agricultural cooperatives in Kakamega County. Identification of 183 project managers was achieved through systematic random sampling using the Yamane sample size formula. A self-administered closed-ended questionnaire aided in primary data collection. Content and face validity were used to assess the instrument’s validity, while Cronbach's alpha was used to assess reliability. Descriptive and multiple regression were used to aid primary data analysis, and the results were presented using frequency tables, means, standard deviations, and percentages. Confidentiality and voluntary participation of respondents were observed. The study found a positive and significant effect of monitoring and evaluation on project performance with conclusion that monitoring and evaluation plays a crucial role in the enhancement of grant-funded project performance in Kakamega County, Kenya. Future studies may target farmers and to establish any variation in the findings.
Keywords: Monitoring and Evaluation, Performance, Agriculture, Grant-Funded Projects, Kakamega County
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