Name: Makokha, Peter Wanyama

Topic: Reform Interventions, Participatory Monitoring And Perfomance of Agricultural Projects Funded By The World Bank In Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya.

ABSTRACT

Participatory monitoring is at the center of a global conversation as useful tool in tracking the progress of interventions and has been cited as a critical contributor to improved performance. The practice has largely been inculcated in project execution though with no much scientific backing. For this reason, this study sought to ascertain its role in projects by interrogating its moderating effect on the relationship between reform interventions in the World Bank context against the performance of agricultural projects using in Trans-Nzoia County as a de-facto test environment. The study arose out of the need to empirically quantify and institutionalize aspects of participatory monitoring in contemporary projects through five objectives which are: examine the influence of financing reform on the performance of agricultural projects funded by the World Bank, assess the influence of marketing reform on the performance of agricultural projects funded by the World Bank, establish the influence of capacity building reform on the performance of agricultural projects funded by the World Bank, determine the joint influence of reform interventions on the performance of agricultural projects funded by World Bank and establish the moderating influence of participatory monitoring on the relationship between reform interventions and performance of agricultural projects funded by the World Bank. Reforms under study were first tested independently and then jointly so as to determine the extent of their relationships with project performance before determining the moderating effect. Five research hypotheses were generated from the objectives of the study and were tested to shed light on the direction of the study and unravel the magnitude of these relationships. Empirical and theoretical literature was reviewed based on the literary works of other scholars and academicians in the fields of project management, quality assurance and development Economics. Reviewed literature was interrogated in relation to the theory of change, outcomes theory, the empowerment theory and responsive-constructivist evaluation theory. The nexus amongst the study parameters was configured on a conceptual framework that exemplified extent of perceived relationships. Mixed-methods research under descriptive survey design was utilised to quantify the relationships. The study is grounded on pragmatism; a philosophy complementing epistemological, methodological and axiological underpinnings desired in mixed methods research. Target population was 800 farmers and 15 project staff determined using proportionate sampling. Study sample of 268 respondents was determined scientifically using simplified Yamane formula of proportions. Quantitative data was obtained using a structured questionnaire with likert-type questions while qualitative data was collected using key informant interviews and focus groups. Qualitative data analysis was by iterative inquiry, critical reflection and thematic review while inferential data was analyzed using the measures of central tendency, regression and correlation. Stepwise regression inferred the moderating effect alongside the significance of the coefficient and the change in R2 . Multiple regression established the joint influence of reforms on performance of agricultural projects while the t-statistic was used to test the hypotheses. The findings reveal there is a positive significant relationship between financing reform and the performance of agricultural projects by r=0.0244 (p-value< 0.05); there is positive significant relationship between marketing reform and performance of agricultural projects by r=0.0472 (p-value< 0.05); there is a positive significant relationship between capacity building reform and the performance of agricultural projects by r=0.0199 (p-value< 0.05) and there is positive significant relationship between joint reforms and performance of agricultural projects by r =0.024 (p-value< 0.05). Using stepwise regression, it was established that participatory monitoring was responsible for 28.59% variation in the performance of agricultural projects. These findings are therefore useful in cementing the role played by participatory monitoring in projects and therefore enrich project management as a discipline. The results also provide an empirical justification for the adoption of participatory monitoring in projects. In terms of policy, since the Kenyan government and the development community are keen on reforming the development space, these findings provide an empirical basis upon which research-based policy formulation and public participation can be anchored. This study will contribute to growth of project policy, practice and methodology upon which further research in evaluation and project management can be anchored.