Impact of Resource Management on Agricultural Project Performance

Resource management is fundamental to the success of organizations and governments, optimizing efficiency and performance across sectors. Despite initial investments in 2016 aimed at boosting milk production, the factory faced funding and management challenges, leading to operational inefficiencies. Privatization efforts did not resolve these issues, and in 2021, the facility was sold at a significant loss. This case highlights the complexities of project management in resource-limited public-private agricultural initiatives. This study assessed the effect of project resource management on agricultural projects in Burera District, Rwanda, focusing on financial, human, and material resource management. Grounded on the Resource-Based View and Goal Setting Theories, the research aimed to analyze their impact on project performance, providing insights into addressing resource management challenges. The study used descriptive survey and correlational research designs. A census of 92 participants, including project beneficiaries and other stakeholders from Burera District, were selected. Data was gathered through interviews and questionnaire. To establish the validity of instruments, instruments were pre-tested through a pilot by administering the questionnaires to 10 respondents, constituting 10% of the census. The results gave a Content Validity Index of 0.91 and a Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of 0.813. Descriptive and inferential statistics of Correlation and Regression were conducted at a significance level of 0.05. Three null hypotheses were tested including: H01: There is no significant effect of financial resource management (P=0.000<0.05); human resource management (P=0.000<0.05); material resource management (P=0.000<0.05) on performance of Agricultural projects were rejected. Therefore, the study concluded that project resource management significantly influences the performance of Agricultural projects. The study recommends that the Government enhance breeding programs by integrating material, human, and financial resource management, ensuring breeder certification, tailored HR training, and transparency in financial practices. The government and Rwanda Dairy Development Project management should integrate resource management, enhance transparency, and provide tailored staff training. Future research should investigate advanced stakeholders’ management practices on performance of agricultural projects.