Stakeholder Involvement at Project Identification and Performance of Agricultural Projects in Kenya

Abstract

Stakeholder involvement during the project identification phase is a critical element of effective project management. While agriculture remains the backbone of Kenya’s economy, the performance of agricultural projects continues to face significant challenges, including delays, cost overruns, weak coordination, and inadequate stakeholder participation, despite considerable investments. About 40% of these projects are completed on time, with many exceeding budget estimates and suffering inefficiencies largely due to minimal stakeholder engagement beyond the identification stage. The current research examined the influence of stakeholder involvement during project identification phase on the performance of agricultural projects in Kenya. The study was guided by stakeholder theory. A descriptive survey design was adopted, targeting 115 staff members from the project coordinating units, alongside five purposively selected farmer groups. Data were collected through structured questionnaire. The findings established a significant relationship between stakeholder involvement at the project identification and performance of agricultural projects (r = 0.711, p = 0.000).  As per regression analysis results, the beta coefficient ?=0.585, t-value t=10.006 with p=0.000 indicate a significant relationship. Therefore, the performance of agricultural projects was influenced by stakeholder involvement during project identification. The study concluded effective engagement of stakeholders enhances the transparency and significantly boosts the performance of projects. It is recommended that that policymakers and project managers embed participatory structures, incorporate stakeholder perspectives to fortify accountability and embrace flexible management approaches that drive improved project performance.