Effect of Project Management Practices on Performance of Food Security Projects in Kilifi County

Abstract

Globally, reports on the poor performance, higher failure rate and unsatisfactory performance of food security projects are common despite the massive investments by the various stakeholders raising concern on their sustainability attainment of the mission of the stakeholders. The primary concern of this study was to address how the project management practices affected these food security projects performances in Kilifi County. There is a little comparative analysis of the effect of project management practices on the performance of food security projects in Kilifi County, hence creating gaps in the existing literature. The distinct objectives of the study were to establish the extent to which monitoring and evaluation, stakeholder analysis, leadership, and scope management affected these food security projects in Kilifi County. The study was informed by system theory, the theory of social protection and theory of constraints. The study utilized a descriptive survey design to carry out a detailed and informative evaluation of the projects. The project had a target population which included all the stakeholders in the food security projects in Kilifi County that were randomly sampled to a sample population of 128. To be able to realize these general objectives, the study utilized both primary and secondary data. The study mainly used questionnaires to collect primary data. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques which included frequencies, means, and standard deviations and presented in the form of figures and charts. Inferential statistics such as Pearson Product Moment correlations were used to establish the relationships between the variables. Multiple regressions were used to determine the cause-effect relationship. Through regression model, the study found out that that monitoring and evaluation, stakeholder analysis, leadership, and scope management had positive and significant effects on the performance of food security projects, r=0.256 p<0.05, r=0.279 p<0.05, r=0.312, p<0.05, r 0.335 p<0.01 respectively. Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients for stakeholder Analysis, scope management, monitoring and evaluation and project leadership are all greater than 0.700 (0.734, 0.824, 0.782 and 0.744 respectively). The overall F-test was 107.655 with a P value of <0.001. The study outcomes enabled the policymakers to formulate, design and implement policies that create enabling environments for sustainable food security project successes and private sector involvement in development projects. Found to be integral to these project at all levels, the study recommended that project management practices be accurately written and reinforced to the letter.