Project Implementation Process, Legal Framework and Performance of Projects: the Case of Indigenous Chicken Projects Sponsored by Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme in Machakos County, Kenya

Abstract

Indigenous Chicken projects are important for food security and poverty alleviation in developing countries. However global, regional studies on Indigenous Chicken meat produced showed poor performance of Indigenous Chicken projects. Due to that the issues that hindered the performance of Indigenous Chicken projects were identified. Therefore this study sought to establish the influence of project implementation process and legal framework on performance of Indigenous Chicken projects sponsored by Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme. This was done through investigating the influence of project implementation process on performance of Indigenous Chicken projects and also investigating the moderating influence of legal framework on performance of Indigenous Chicken projects. The study reviewed different literature that showed project planning, project resource mobilization, project execution influenced performance of Indigenous Chicken projects. The research design used was mixed method which was guided by pragmatism paradigm. Target population was 80 Indigenous Chicken projects sponsored by Agricultural Sector Development Support Program from which a sample was selected through probability sampling technique by use of multi stage sampling. The study population of 40 Indigenous Chicken projects was systematically sampled and a sample size of 146 respondents was selected from 40 Indigenous Chicken projects by use of Sekaran’s (2003) sampling size criterion from a population of 944 members of Indigenous Chicken projects sponsored by Agricultural Sector Development Support Program through probability sampling technique. Quantitative data was collected from 146 respondents using structured questionnaire whereas qualitative data was collected from key informants who were 10 stakeholders partnering with agricultural sector development support program using an interview guide. Research instrument was pilot tested for validity through content related method and reliability was done through split half. Descriptive statistics was analysed by use of frequencies, percentages, arithmetic mean and standard deviation while inferential statistics was analysed using Pearson’s Product Moment correlation (r), simple regression and stepwise regression (r2). F-test was done to test the hypothesis of the study. The study established that project planning significantly influences performance of Indigenous Chicken projects where r= 0.319; p: 0.000< 0.05; F (1,136) =15.455; R2 = 0.101. During planning, it was found that the attendance was low during development of plans though it was participatory. Further the study established that resource mobilization significantly influenced performance of Indigenous Chicken project where r= 0.177; p: 0.038<0.05; F (1,136) =4.412; R2 = 0.031. Likewise the findings also established that project execution had a significant influence on performance of Indigenous Chicken project where r= 0.389; p:0.000<0.05; F(1,136)=24.224; R2=0.151. Though the execution significantly influenced performance it was found that some implementers did not do New Castle Disease vaccination and instead used aloe vera and sisal juice. Further project implementation process was found to significantly influence performance of Indigenous Chicken projects r= 0.362; p:0.000<0.05; F(1,136)=20.523; R2=0.131; However on assessing moderating influence it was found out that legal frame work had a significant influence on project implementation process and performance of Indigenous Chicken project with r= 0.365; p:0.000<0.05; F(3,134)= 6.879; R2=0.133. It was found that the project implementers do not do Indigenous Chicken disease management. The study recommended that planning should be done before execution where needs are identified in a participative way, required resource persons and resources for execution put in plan before execution.