How projects rise and fall: the lifecycle of a dietary modernisation scheme

Abstract

How do projects grow? How do they fail? What accounts for their changing fortunes? This paper uses the archives of a 1970s modernisation scheme to explore the life cycle of a long-running project, concerning the production of leaf protein in Nigeria. It argues that archives can be very useful for understanding success and failure, and encourages practitioners to take an interest in the story of past projects, even those that failed. Drawing on Actor-Network Theory, it argues that alliances are key to understanding project lifecycles, suggesting that practitioners focus on strengthening local relationships, rather than seeking answers in universal management templates.

Comment les projets progressent-ils ? Comment échouent-ils ? Qu'est-ce qui explique les fluctuations de leurs fortunes ? Cet article utilise les archives d'un programme de modernisation entrepris dans les années 1970 pour examiner le cycle de vie d'un projet de longue durée portant sur la production de protéines de feuille au Nigéria. Il soutient que les archives peuvent se révéler très utiles pour comprendre le succès et l’échec, et encourage les praticiens à s'intéresser à l'histoire de projets passés, même ceux qui ont échoué. S'inspirant de la théorie de l'acteur-réseau (Actor-Network Theory), il soutient que les alliances sont essentielles pour comprendre les cycles de vie des projets, et suggère aux praticiens de se concentrer sur le renforcement des relations locales au lieu de chercher des réponses dans des modèles de gestion universels.

¿Cómo se desarrollan los proyectos? ¿Cuáles son los motivos de su fracaso? ¿Cómo se explican sus vicisitudes? El presente artículo aprovecha archivos ya existentes en torno a un plan modernizante, con el fin de explorar el ciclo de vida de un proyecto que se encuentra en ejecución desde hace tiempo en Nigeria. El mismo se relaciona con la producción de proteína del concentrado de hojas verdes. El autor sostiene que dichos archivos pueden contribuir a comprender tanto el éxito como el fracaso, así como a alentar a los operadores a interesarse en la historia del desarrollo de los proyectos anteriores, aun cuando estos hayan fracasado. Asimismo, basándose en la Teoría del Actor Red, el artículo sostiene que las alianzas que se establezcan durante la ejecución de un proyecto son importantes para comprender su ciclo de vida, sugiriendo que los operadores deben centrarse en fortalecer las relaciones locales, en lugar de buscar las respuestas a las preguntas anteriores en modelos de gestión universales.

Keywords:

• Aid – Aid effectiveness
• Civil society – NGOs
• Participation
• Environment (built and natural) – Agriculture
• Labour and livelihoods
• Technology
• Sub-Saharan Africa

Notes on contributor

Tom Scott-Smith is completing his DPhil at the Department of International Development, University of Oxford, and teaching at the Refugee Studies Centre. He has worked as a development practitioner across Africa and the Middle East, and his research examines the history of humanitarian nutrition.

Acknowledgements

This research was generously supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (grant number ES/H012338), the Oxford Department of International Development, and Lincoln College, Oxford. Thanks to the participants of the 2011 DSA workshop on Actor-Network Theory and Development for helpful discussion, and for the constructive comments of two anonymous reviewers for Development in Practice. Conversations with Jocelyn Alexander, Henrik Ernstson, Richard Heeks, and Geoff Walsham helped me to develop earlier versions of this paper. I would also like to thank the staff involved with the Nigerian leaf protein project, who shared their experiences during interview, and the archivists at the SOAS special collections.

Notes

1. This study is based on the archives of Christian Aid, held at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, UK; boxes CA4/A/1, CA4/A/2, CA4/A/3, CA2/D/26 and CA4/D/27. All citations in this paper refer to these archives, unless otherwise mentioned. With respect to the wishes of former project workers, authorship of personal memos has been identified only by initials, although a brief description of the person's post has been added in the initial citation for scholarly purposes. This quotation is contained in a memo from B.W. (Christian Aid desk officer) to C.P. (her successor) dated 3/11/1977, file CA4/A/2/11.

2. N.W. Pirie in Conversation with Dr W.S. Pierpoint, 27 June 1988, at Film and Sound Online, Biochemical Society Collection. See also Fowden and Pierpont 1997. For an example of his scholarly work, see Pirie 1966.

3. Cuttings and correspondence in file CA4/A/1. Interest in the popular science literature is evident in other aid agency archives from the same period. See file DIR/2/3/2/57, Oxfam archives, Bicester, UK.

4. The preoccupation with publication is evidenced in committee meeting minutes, which contain plans for the production of papers. Advisory committee minutes, 10 April 1976, and memo “papers to be written”, 20 January 1976, box CA4/A/2/11. A large number of papers were in fact published; for an overview, see Oke 1973.

5. Interview with B.W., 7 January 2011.

6. Minutes of the Christian Aid board from 1972 to 1982, box CA2/D/26 and CA2/D/27.

7. Advisory committee meeting minutes: “Some questions of distribution”, by J.N. (director of the local faith-based partner organisation hosting the production of the leaf protein), and covering letter dated 1977, box CA4/A/2.

8. “Leaf Protein project report”, Appendix 2, by P.F. (a food technologist on the project and full-time project worker based in Ibadan), covering letter dated 1977, box CA4/A/3.

9. “Preliminary report of the leaf protein trials”, by P.F., dated July 1977; “the production of a processing unit for the production of dried leaf protein concentrate”, undated, file CA4/A/3/1.

10. Reports of the advisory committee, particularly 22 June 1973 and 2 March 1977, box CA4/A/2/11.

11. Memo addressed to S.H. (the Christian Aid project officer responsible for West Africa) based on conversations with Professor G.H. (formerly dean of technology at the University of Ife), 24 November 1980, file CA4/A/2/12.

12. Letter from W.A. (Panels coordinator for proposals to the Intermediate Technology Development Group) to B.W., 30 October 1979, file CA4/A/2/12.

13. Interview with P.F., 11 January 2011; minutes of advisory committee, 26 November 1977, file CA4/A/1; interview with B.W., 7 January 2011; minutes of advisory committee meeting, 22 June 1973, file CA4/A/2/10.

14. Letter from G.D. (food technology consultant to the project, formerly employed at Rothamsted) to B.W., 12 October 1979, file CA4/A/2/12; Letter from P.F. to B.W., 4 July 1977, file CA4/A/2/11; “leaf protein production project, handing over notes” by P.F, undated (c. August 1977), file CA4/A/3/1.

15. Correspondence between B.W. and P.F., 1 October 1979, file CA4/A/2/12; Letter from B.W. to E.A. (director of the local host organisation for the project), 27 April 1978, file CA4/A/2/12; papers for the Christian Aid board, box CA2/D/27. The final project update to the board bemoaned the lack of reports.