The Role Of Communication On Performance Of Donor Funded Agricultural Project: A Case Of Research, Community And Organizational Development Associates

ABSTRACT

The main aim of this study was to assess the role of communication in the performance of agricultural donor funded projects using Research, Community and Organizational Development Associates (RECODA) as a case study. Generally, the study established the types of project information shared by various actors in the RECODA donor funded agricultural projects; examined the effectiveness of various communication channels; assessed the relationship between communication and performance of RECODA agricultural projects; and identified barriers to effective communication among actors in RECODA donor funded agricultural projects. A cross-sectional research design was adopted whereby primary data were collected using a questionnaire administered to 120 randomly selected respondents. Primary data were also collected through key informants interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). In addition, secondary data were collected through evaluation of reports. The analysis of data was done using the International Business Machine Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS). The key findings of the research envisaged that communication in RECODA project was meetings and communication channels effectiveness had a linear relationship with the result and information stakeholders’ satisfaction. Furthermore, all the four communication indicators that are communication flow, communication channels, communication management tools and quality of the information had a positive linear statistical relationship with the performance indicators’ thus, stakeholders’ satisfaction on the information provided and stakeholders’ satisfactions on the results of the project. The barriers of communication were not highly rated. Conclusively, communication has been observed as having relationship with the performance. That is, all the communication elements those are communication flow, communication channels, communication management tools and quality of the information had a role in the performance of RECODA project. It is therefore, recommended that project planners should invest on their project’s communication process in the project for better performance of the same.