Project Management Practices and Success of Smallholder Farmers’ Agricultural Insurance Projects in Dedicated Agri-Services Ltd

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of project management practices on the success of smallholder farmers’ agricultural insurance projects implemented by Dedicated Agri Services Ltd (DAS Ltd). The problem addressed stems from persistent low uptake, operational delays, inadequate stakeholder involvement, and limited trust in Agri insurance services in Rwanda. The purpose was to assess how planning, scheduling, risk mitigation, and monitoring & evaluation (M&E) contribute to project success. A quantitative research design was employed using structured survey questionnaires. The study targeted a population of 300 respondents comprising DAS staff, insurance company staff, cooperative leaders, and cooperative members. Using Slovin's formula, a sample size of 171 respondents was selected, of whom 169 provided valid responses, representing a response rate of 98.8%. The primary data collection tool was a structured Likert scale questionnaire validated at CVI=0.957 and reliability α=0.873. Data were analysed using SPSS v25 through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression. Results show that planning (R=0.624; p<0.05), scheduling (R=0.469; p<0.05), risk mitigation (R=0.758; p<0.05), and M&E (R=0.503; p<0.05) each significantly affect project success, with the regression model explaining 71.9% of the variance (R=0.848; R²=0.719; p<0.05). Risk mitigation had the strongest predictive effect (β=0.809), followed by planning (β=0.308) and M&E (β=0.148), while scheduling showed a negative coefficient (β=–0.258), indicating weaknesses in farmer-inclusive scheduling and alignment to agricultural cycles. Findings imply that in real-world Agri insurance and project management contexts, proactive risk planning, responsive mitigation, and strong M&E frameworks enhance credibility, payout timeliness, and farmer satisfaction, while poor scheduling undermines adoption and operational efficiency. The study concluded that strengthening participatory planning, redesigning scheduling processes, improving rapid risk response systems, and enhancing real-time M&E are essential for scaling sustainable Agri insurance projects. Key recommendations include institutionalising smallholder involvement in planning and scheduling, integrating flexible risk response mechanisms, and deepening learning oriented M&E systems to improve service delivery, uptake, and long-term project success.