Monitoring and Evaluation Practices and Performance of Food Security Projects Among Smallholder Farmers in Marigat Sub County, Baringo County, Kenya

Abstract

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious foods that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. The situation in Marigat Sub-County, Baringo County indicates that the county’s food security status stands at 27% and is dwindling as compared to other counties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of monitoring and evaluation practices on performance of food security projects among smallholder farmers. The study was guided by four objectives; to determine the extent to which capacity building influences performance of food security projects among smallholder farmers; to establish how stakeholder involvement influences performance of food security projects among smallholder farmers; to assess the extent to which access to financing influences performance of food security projects among smallholder farmers and to determine how data utilization influences performance of food security projects among smallholder farmers. The study tested the following hypotheses at 5% level of significance; capacity building has a significant influence on performance of food security smallholder farmers; stakeholder involvement has a significant influence on performance of food security smallholder farmers; access to financing has a significant influence on performance of food security smallholder farmers and finally, data utilization has a significant influence on performance of food security smallholder farmers. The study adopted cross-sectional survey research design. The target population of the study was 372 drawn from 12 irrigation projects having 30 smallholder farmers each, 8 county agricultural extension officers and 4 agriculture county officials in Baringo County. A sample size of 189 participants was obtained from the target population using the Cochran formula from which proportionate stratified sampling was employed to obtain a representative sample for each strata. Data was collected using questionnaires and interview schedule. The pilot test conducted using 19 instruments that were administered to residents of Uasin Gishu County smallholder farmers who had similar characteristics as the study area. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was employed to ascertain for reliability that was obtained through split-half technique. Descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation was used to analyze quantitative data. Quantitative data used simple linear regression to test the strength of the relationship between the variables based on observed data and to predict the value of the dependent variable based on the independent variable. It was established that capacity building with R=0.756, R2=0.571, β=0.756, t=5.392, F (1,158) = 177.766, p<0.05, concluded that the variable was significant and had a strong positive influence on performance of food security projects. The study also established that stakeholder involvement with R=0.526, R2=0.277, β=0.526, t=8.674, F (1,158) = 80.634, p<0.05; Resource mobilizations with R=0.433, R2=0.187, β=0.433, t=13.989, F (1,158) = 58.313, at p=0.000<0.05; and data utilization with R=0.712, R2=0.506, β=0.712, t=12.763, F (1,158) = 176.239, at p=0.000<0.05 had a positive significant influence on performance of food security projects among smallholder farmers. The study concluded that capacity building, stakeholder involvement, Resource mobilization and data utilization influence performance of food security projects among smallholder farmers.