Niger Irrigation and Market Access Project: Evaluation Design Report for Small-Scale Irrigation Activities and Complementary Investments in the Dosso-Gaya Area

This evaluation design report, commissioned by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), outlines our approach for rigorously evaluating MCC’s investments in the Irrigation and Market Access Project (IMAP) in Niger’s Dosso-Gaya region, one component of MCC’s $442.6 million Niger Compact with the Government of Niger. IMAP aims to enhance agricultural productivity and rural incomes through the development of small-scale irrigation systems, land tenure security, and improved market access. The evaluation employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses to assess the project's impact on agricultural outcomes, income, and food security. Key components include the construction of irrigation infrastructure, capacity building for local institutions, and support for land tenure formalization. The evaluation will also examine the sustainability of project outcomes and the effectiveness of complementary activities such as farmer training and market facilitation. Data collection will occur in three phases: baseline, interim, and endline, with a focus on understanding the project's implementation, outcomes, and long-term impacts.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of the IMAP investments, including the Irrigation Perimeter Development Activity (IPD), the Management Services and Market Facilitation Activity (MSMF), the Roads for Market Access Activity (RMA), and the Policy Reform Activity (PR). It also includes a detailed literature review on the effects of irrigation access, land tenure strengthening, and road improvements on farmers.

The evaluation design incorporates a matched comparison group methodology to estimate the impact of SSI investments on key outcomes, and an infrastructure assessment to evaluate the quality and sustainability of the irrigation systems. We will use remote sensing data (Sentinel-2) and a two-stage process to identify land parcels and households in comparison areas who possess similar characteristics to land and households in the treatment area. The report concludes with a discussion of the evaluation risks, limitations, and mitigation steps to ensure the credibility and reliability of the findings.