Abstract:
Development effectiveness measures project relevance, effectiveness,
efficiency, impact and sustainability. The MiDA project lacked empirical data
to indicate the extent to which it has achieved development effectiveness and
improved the welfare of farmers in the study area. The study investigated the
determinants development effectiveness of the MiDA project in the Effutu
Municipality of Ghana. Descriptive survey design, random sampling technique
and structured interview schedules were used to select and collect data from
170 farmers in five communities in the municipality. Frequencies,
percentages, means, standard deviation, chi-square, appropriate correlation
coefficients and linear regression were generated to establish and describe
relationships among variables of the study. The study revealed that the MiDA
project was very relevant, sustainable, effective, efficient and highly impacted
on the beneficiaries. Project relevance was influenced by farmer participation
in project implementation and monitoring and evaluation; project effectiveness
by yield of maize, farmer participation in implementation, monitoring and
evaluation, farm size and level of education. Project efficiency was also
influenced by yield of maize and farmer participation in implementation
whiles project impact was influenced by yield of maize, farmer participation in
implementation and income from the sale of maize. Project sustainability was
influenced by farmer participation in project implementation, years of farming
experience, level of education and not holding position in the farmer based
organizations. The study recommends among others the need for development
agencies to encourage farmer participation in project activities and improving
the yield of crops which to a large extent will improve development
effectiveness in the study area.