Geospatial Impact Evaluation of Agricultural Intensification Program in Niger
Webinar | Online
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Organized by:
International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie)
About the Event
We propose a 1-hour online presentation for policy-makers and evaluators to learn more about big data in impact evaluation through an illustrative example of an ongoing geospatial impact evaluation in Niger. An abstract of the impact evaluation that will be presented is outlined below.
Climate change is exacerbating food insecurity around the world, particularly in drought-prone areas that are already highly vulnerable, such as the Sahel region of West Africa. To improve food security and resilience, the government of Niger, with funding from the West African Development Bank (BOAD), implemented a multi-faceted agricultural production intensification program in 2011 (PIPA/SA). We employ geospatial data and a controlled interrupted time series design to measure the impact of this program on agricultural production, water availability, siltation, and desertification. The results of this study will provide valuable information to the BOAD regarding the efficacy of their programs and will inform future regional investments related to climate change mitigation/adaptation and food intensification, with implications for human health, nutrition, livelihoods, and economic development more broadly. This project contributes to the evidence base on climate and nutrition interventions and illustrates the increasing importance of geospatial data in M&E and impact evaluation in remote and insecure regions.
Climate change is exacerbating food insecurity around the world, particularly in drought-prone areas that are already highly vulnerable, such as the Sahel region of West Africa. To improve food security and resilience, the government of Niger, with funding from the West African Development Bank (BOAD), implemented a multi-faceted agricultural production intensification program in 2011 (PIPA/SA). We employ geospatial data and a controlled interrupted time series design to measure the impact of this program on agricultural production, water availability, siltation, and desertification. The results of this study will provide valuable information to the BOAD regarding the efficacy of their programs and will inform future regional investments related to climate change mitigation/adaptation and food intensification, with implications for human health, nutrition, livelihoods, and economic development more broadly. This project contributes to the evidence base on climate and nutrition interventions and illustrates the increasing importance of geospatial data in M&E and impact evaluation in remote and insecure regions.
Speakers
| Nome | Título | Biography |
|---|---|---|
| Fiona Kastel | Research Associate | Fiona provides research, program management, and data analytics support for multiple programs and initiatives at 3ie on agriculture, education, finance, health, and policy and institutional reform. She leads and contributes to impact evaluations, evaluability assessments, evidence synthesis products, virtual trainings, and 3ie's data innovations group. Prior to joining 3ie, Fiona worked as a research assistant at Opportunity Insights, where she examined drivers of upward mobility and the disparate economic impact of COVID-19. She has also worked with NGOs in Latin America and the Caribbean to develop their evaluation capabilities. Fiona holds a Master of Public Affairs from Brown University and a Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Analysis of Markets and Organization from the University of Utah. |
| Douglas Glandon | Lead Evaluation Specialist & Leader, Methods Development | Douglas designs, leads, and quality assures projects in evidence generation, synthesis, and knowledge translation, including multi-sectoral research portfolios with USAID and the Millennium Challenge Corporation. As Leader of Methods Development, he also guides the organization in updating and enhancing our methods and approaches for generating timely, policy-responsive, rigorous evidence to inform international development policy, programming, and investments. Douglas is particularly interested in the intersection of data science and econometrics and measuring the costs and effectiveness of complex and multi-sectoral programs. |
Moderators
| Nome | Título | Biography |
|---|---|---|
| Anca Dumitrescu | Senior Evaluation Specialist | Anca manages the West Africa Capacity-building and Impact Evaluation (WACIE) program. She also supports membership activities with 3ie’s francophone members, contributes to business development initiatives and provides technical support for other Washington Office programs. Anca has over a decade of international work experience in monitoring and evaluation, primarily in West Africa. She has worked on impact and performance evaluations for projects across sectors, including education, agriculture, vocational training and energy, using quantitative and qualitative methods. Prior to joining 3ie, Anca worked as a research analyst at Mathematica Policy Research, leading field operations, data analysis and reporting to improve project effectiveness and disseminate results. Anca has an MSc in Political Economy of Late Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science and bachelor’s degrees in International Relations and Marketing from Michigan State University. |