Agricultural Project Management and Implementation in Federal Government Programmes in Nigeria

This study examines project management practices in federal government agricultural programmes in Nigeria, assessing implementation quality, resource utilisation, and outcome achievement. Federal agricultural programmes including the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative, Anchor Borrowers Programme, and N-Power Agricultural Stream involve complex multi-agency implementation arrangements that require effective project management to achieve intended agricultural development outcomes. This study uses a case study design, examining project management practices in three federal agricultural programmes implemented across Kebbi, Benue, and Ogun States. Data are collected from 60 programme managers, monitoring officers, and state implementing agency representatives through structured interviews and document review. Implementation quality is assessed using planning adequacy, resource disbursement timeliness, stakeholder coordination, and monitoring and evaluation system quality dimensions. Findings reveal that planning quality is generally adequate at design stage but breaks down during implementation due to late funding releases, procurement delays, and inter-agency coordination failures. Monitoring systems are present but generate insufficient feedback for adaptive management. Beneficiary participation in programme design is minimal, contributing to targeting inefficiencies. The study concludes that agricultural project management in federal programmes requires stronger implementation support systems and adaptive management mechanisms. It recommends results-based management frameworks, independent monitoring panels, and structured beneficiary feedback loops as priority management improvements for federal agricultural programmes.

Keywords: agricultural project management, federal programmes, implementation, Nigeria, adaptive management.