Analysis of explanatory factors in development project performance the case of initiatives by the Ministry in charge of development in Burkina Faso
Abstract (English)
Development project performance evaluation is a central issue in the effectiveness of public policies. This study aims to analyze the key explanatory factors influencing the performance of development projects in Burkina Faso using the case of initiatives implemented by the ministry in charge of development. The research adopts a mixed methods design combining quantitative analysis of project execution data with qualitative analysis based on semi structured interviews and focus group discussions with project managers and beneficiary communities. Quantitative data were drawn from the 2025 annual project execution reports while qualitative data were collected through interviews and focus group discussions. The findings show an overall execution rate of 82.65 percent representing a slight increase from the previous year but with variable performance across projects. Key explanatory factors include institutional coordination capacity local governance structures beneficiary community participation timeliness of fund disbursement and security constraints. Specifically projects that involved communities in the planning process showed execution rates approximately 12 percentage points higher than projects without community participation. Security challenges in certain regions also reduced project performance. The study concludes that improving development project performance requires strengthening local governance capacity establishing community participation mechanisms optimizing funding flows and developing execution models adapted to fragile environments.
Keywords: development project performance, Burkina Faso, governance capacity, community participation, project execution, Sahel
Abstract (French)
L evaluation de la performance des projets de developpement est un enjeu central de l efficacite des politiques publiques. Cette etude vise a analyser les facteurs explicatifs cles influencant la performance des projets de developpement au Burkina Faso en prenant le cas des initiatives mises en oeuvre par le ministere en charge du developpement. La recherche adopte une methodologie mixte combinant une analyse quantitative des donnees d execution des projets avec une analyse qualitative basee sur des entretiens semi structures et des discussions de groupe avec les gestionnaires de projets et les communautes beneficiaires. Les donnees quantitatives proviennent des rapports d execution des projets de l annee 2025 tandis que les donnees qualitatives ont ete collectees par entretiens et discussions de groupe. Les resultats montrent un taux d execution global de 82.65 pour cent en legere hausse par rapport a l annee precedente mais avec des performances variables selon les projets. Les facteurs explicatifs cles incluent la capacite de coordination institutionnelle les structures de gouvernance locale le niveau de participation des communautes beneficiaires la ponctualite des decaissements et les contraintes securitaires. Plus precisement les projets ayant implique les communautes dans le processus de planification affichent un taux d execution superieur d environ 12 points de pourcentage par rapport aux projets sans participation communautaire. Les defis securitaires dans certaines regions reduisent egalement la performance des projets. L etude conclut que l amelioration de la performance des projets de developpement necessite le renforcement des capacites de gouvernance locale la mise en place de mecanismes de participation communautaire l optimisation des flux de financement et le developpement de modeles d execution adaptes aux environnements fragiles.
Mots-clés: performance des projets de developpement, Burkina Faso, capacite de gouvernance, participation communautaire, execution de projets, Sahel