The Evaluation of Rural Sector Support Project (Rssp) and Its Performance in Rwanda

ABSTRACT Projects are the lifeblood of the economy; they are regarded as an essential source of growth, employment, entrepreneurial skills, innovation and economic and social cohesion. If projects in the informal sector in developing countries are taken into account, however, their contribution to growth will be more significant. That is why Rural Sector Support Project (RSSP) has been initiated with an aim of revitalizing the rural economy. This thesis entitled “The evaluation of Rural Sector Support Project-RSSP and its performance in Rwanda” is presented as a result of a research that was carried out in the concerned project i.e. RSSP. The study was carried out basing on three specific objectives, i.e.; to examine the performance of RSSP in Rwanda; to identify the effectiveness of RSSP in meeting its goals and to find out the challenges faced by RSSP. The study population comprised of 491 people; a sample of 220 respondents was chosen, using simple random sampling method. Questionnaires and interviews were used in collecting both primary and secondary data. The collected data was analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The study was in form of a descriptive design, to describe quantitatively how evaluation has impact in improving the performance of projects. The findings showed that the project has supported the improvement of farming practices using the farmer based extension approach. In addition, the study findings also show that the project has supported the commercialization of smallholder agriculture; the project had intensified production, expanded access to markets, and promoted agricultural value addition. The study concluded that evaluations of performance measurement systems should focus both on the technical quality of the measurement system and on the extent to which performance information is used in managing to achieve performance goals and in providing accountability to key stakeholders and the public.