Stakeholder resource mobilisation and agribusiness project sustainability: insights from donor-funded rice projects in Cameroon.

Sustaining the benefits of donor-funded agribusiness projects remains a persistent challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Cameroon, where rice production plays a strategic role in food security and rural development. This study draws on stakeholder theory, resource-based view, and resource-dependence theory to develop a conceptual framework guiding the analysis of stakeholder resource mobilisation and project sustainability. The framework is used to examine donor-funded rice agribusiness projects in Cameroon and to generate practical insights for strengthening stakeholder governance and resource mobilisation in similar settings. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining survey data from 580 respondents with 20 key informant interviews and document analysis to capture both breadth and depth of evidence. Findings reveal that human, land, and technical resources are the most significant predictors of sustainability, while financial and institutional resources show weaker influence due to governance and coordination gaps. Stakeholder coordination emerged as a critical mechanism for aligning resource mobilization with project goals, reducing dependency on donor funding, and strengthening continuity beyond project closure. The study contributes to project management and development literature by highlighting the importance of early investment in participatory planning, inclusive stakeholder platforms, and decentralized governance systems that enable resource pooling and institutional resilience. Practical recommendations are offered for policymakers, donors, and project managers seeking to enhance the long-term viability of agribusiness projects in resource-constrained contexts. • Examines stakeholder resource mobilization and project sustainability in Cameroon. • Integrates stakeholder, resource mobilization, and resource-based theories. • Uses mixed-methods design combining surveys, interviews, and documents. • Identifies human, land, and technical resources as key sustainability drivers.