Utilisation of Budget as a Monitoring and Evaluation Tool and Sustainability of Community Agricultural Projects Supported by Caritas in Meru County, Kenya

Abstract

The objective of the study was to establish the influence of utilisation of project budget as a monitoring and evaluation tool and sustainability of community agricultural projects supported by Caritas in Meru County, Kenya. A pragmatic research paradigm was adopted and a descriptive survey research design was utilised. A pragmatic research paradigm was adopted and a descriptive survey research design was utilised. The target population was 59 smallholder farmer groups and 24 Caritas Meru staff. The sample size was 51 smallholder farmer groups and the total sample size was 177 respondents. The data collection tools were questionnaires and interview guides. The collected data were coded and entered into the SPSS version 26 program for analysis. The qualitative data was analysed by way of grouping similar responses together and identifying the main themes from them. The linear regression and Pearson’s correlation (r) methods were utilised to evaluate the link between various variables. The multiple linear regression models determined the link between dependent and independent variables together with the moderating effect of the moderating variable. It is also used as the inferential statistics that inform the decision to reject or not reject the alternative hypothesis for the research study. The study found out that an increase in the utilisation of project budgets leads to an increase in the sustainability of the community agricultural project by Caritas in Meru County and vice versa. The study concludes that there is a significant relationship between utilisation of project budget as monitoring & evaluation and sustainability of community agriculture projects. The study recommends that to ensure the sustainability of community-based agricultural projects, the organisation should train farmers’ group leaders on leadership and management skills. The organisation should train farmers on best farming practices, record keeping and conflict management practices to avoid the collapse of groups.