Competencies and Capabilities for the Management of Sustainable Rural Development Projects in the Value Chain: Perception from Small and Medium-Sized Business Agents in Jauja, Peru

Abstract

The guinea pig value chain in Jauja, Peru, has been developed through the application of productive projects, institutional strengthening, and implementation of the Principles of Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI). Given the smallholding conditions of the Jauja territory and the proliferation of commercial guinea pig breeding, the actors in this chain constitute a key human capital for development. To improve the performance of the actors in the sustainable rural development of the territory of Jauja, Peru, the research carried out an evaluation of the competencies and capabilities for project management in 46 actors linked to the business programme on the CFS-RAI Principles, representing 1094 people in the guinea pig value chain in Jauja, using the Working With People (WWP) model and empirical instruments based on the Octagon method, project management competence evaluation, performance evaluation carried out by experts, attitudinal evaluation. and the Business Model Canvas. The results have helped to structure the actors of the value chain, who show an intermediate mastery of project management competencies (2.73/5), institutional capabilities in development (2.89/7), and a growing organisational management performance (26.2/100). In addition, trust and proactivity have been generated among the actors in the chain, with an interest in continuing with the implementation of the CFS-RAI Principles in order to achieve sustainability in their productive projects with commercial innovation. The results have allowed us to generate the design of an innovative programme for the development of competencies, which balances the three dimensions of project management competencies (perspective, people, and practice), as defined by the International Project Management Association (IPMA), in connection with the CFS-RAI Principles. Both processes complement the strengthening of human capital in agrifood value chains through sustainable project management and contributing to sustainable development in the region.