Abstract: This paper examined how project environment affects the performance of community development projects, specifically through a case study of the Climate Resilient Post Harvest Agribusiness Support Project (PASP), which is an IFAD-funded project in Rwanda. The study aimed to determine the impact of the project management plan on the performance of PASP. The study employed a descriptive research design using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The target population included staff from MINAGRI and 15,552 rural households who were direct beneficiaries from Kirehe District. A sample size of 131 respondents from PASP was chosen, and data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. The study analyzed the data using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 21 and presented the findings through descriptive statistics to enable the beneficiaries to easily interpret them. The study found that there is a positive association between the planning process of management and the performance of community development projects. The project plan influences the achievement of objectives and planning at all levels with the involvement of all relevant stakeholders. The study also established a positive relationship between community participation and the performance of community development projects, which was shown by the goodness of fit of 82%. This means that a given set of predictor variables explains 71.9% of the variance in the dependent variable in the model. The study recommended that PASP management and staff should follow up on community participation from the planning process and that beneficiaries should be committed to protecting initiatives meant for their development.

Received June 19, 2020; Revised July 3, 2020; Accepted July 7, 2020

Abstract: This study sought to examine the contribution of Local Governments in Conservation and Preservation of Tourism Destination in Rwanda. It adopted mixed research design of quantitative and qualitative techniques. The study used a sample size of 97 respondents mainly from District authorities and local communities. Focus discussion groups, Interviews and questionnaires were the data collecting tools the study used to collect information from respondents. The study found out that Local Government contributes a lot to the Conservation and Preservation of Tourism Destination through community conservation enforcement, Institutional structure for conservation, establishment of active partners in conservation mechanism and adopting a holistic approach to tourism destination planning. However, conservation and preservation experience some challenges such as Inadequacy of financial resource, illegal use of forest resources, overpopulation and over-exploitation of resources and inability to utilize modern government techniques of participation. Among the strategies aired out by respondents were to increase revenues shared by tourists, adopt measures in line with appropriate use of resources and fight against illegal use of forest resources. The study concludes that Local governments have played a very vital role in conservation and preservation of tourism development. The study recommends that local governments should establish appropriate measures to the use of resources, there must be wider participation of institutions in tourism destination conservation activities and that revenue from tourism activities should be shared among communities around tourism destination for the sake of conservation.

Received December 15, 2019; Revised April 21, 2020; Accepted April 26, 2020

Abstract: This study sought to examine the role of Tourism revenue sharing in reducing poverty around national parks of Rwanda using mixed research design of quantitative and qualitative techniques. The study found out that revenue sharing from tourism contributes to poverty reduction, income generating activities, provides employment opportunities, infrastructural development and environmental protection. However,it experiences some challenges such as insufficient funding, poor managerial skills of TRS beneficiaries, poor planning and lack of effective involvement of beneficiaries in decision making. The study concludes that the project of sharing revenue has played a very vital role in poverty alleviation. The study recommends that government of Rwanda should work hand in hand with the local people in formation of cooperatives,which will help in catering for their basic needs and engage also in small medium enterprises which will create employment opportunities for them and much more emphasis on vocational training to improve competences in skills, knowledge and attitude.