81324 enGender Impact: The World Bank’s Gender Impact Evaluation Database From the Group Up: Impacts of a Pro-Poor Community Driven Development Project in Nigeria Ephraim Nkonya, Dayo Phillip, Tewodaj Mogues, John Pender, Muhammad Kuta Yahaya, Author(s) Gbenga Adebowale, Tunji Arokoyo, Edward Kato Contact e.nkonya@cgiar.org Country Nigeria Organizing Theme Voice and Agency, Economic Opportunities and Access to Assets Status This information is based off a preliminary midline follow-up Intervention Category Agricultural Development Sector Agriculture and Rural Development The community-driven development (CDD) approach has become increasingly popular because of its potential to develop projects that are sustainable, are responsive to local priorities, empower local communities, and more effectively target poor and vulnerable groups. The purpose of this study is to assess the impacts of Fadama II, which is a CDD project and the largest agricultural project in Nigeria. This study used propensity score matching (PSM) to select 1728 comparable project beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. The study also used double difference methods to compare the impact indicators. Our results show that Fadama II project succeeded in targeting the poor and women farmers in its productive asset acquisition component. Participation in the project also increased the income of beneficiaries by about 60 percent, which is well above the targeted increase of only 20 percent in the six year period of the project. Regarding rural infrastructure investments, we found that the Fadama II project had positive near term impacts on beneficiaries’ access to markets and transportation costs, although the study revealed surprising effects on beneficiaries’ commercial behavior and statistically insignificant impacts on nonfarm activities. We also observed that Fadama II increased the demand for postharvest handling Abstract technologies but did not have a significant impact on the demand for financial management and market information. Fadama II reduced the demand for soil fertility management technologies. The decline likely reflects the project’s focus on providing postproduction advisory services and suggests the need for the project to increase its support for soil fertility management and thus limit the potential for land degradation resulting from increased agricultural productivity. Overall, the Fadama II project has achieved its goal of increasing the incomes of the beneficiaries in the first year of its operation. The project has also succeeded in targeting the poor and vulnerable in its productive-asset component, even though that did not appear to increase significantly short-term household incomes among the poorest asset tercile. The unique feature that could have contributed to the significant impact of the project in a short time is its broad-based approach, which addresses the major constraints limiting the success of CDD projects that address only one or two constraints. This has implications on planning poverty reduction efforts in low- income countries. Given that the poor face numerous constraints, a CDD project that simultaneously addresses many constraints will likely build synergies that will lead to larger impacts than will a project that addresses only one or two constraints. This suggests the need for the government and donors to pool resources and initiate multipronged CDD Last updated: 14 August 2013 1 enGender Impact: The World Bank’s Gender Impact Evaluation Database projects rather than many isolated projects. Gender Connection Gender Informed Analysis Gender Outcomes Property, productivity, participation or voice in community IE Design Propensity Score Matching The program is centered on the creation of Fadama User Groups (FUGs) and Fadama Community Associations (FCAs). Each FCA designs and oversees the implementation of a Local Development Plan. The program supports development of crops, livestocks, Intervention forestry, fishing and fish farming. It also supports post-production processing. Fadama II provides special attention to youth, women, physically challenged individuals, the elderly, and people infected with HIV/AIDS. Intervention Period The program started in September 2005 and has evolved in Fadama III The study was conducted in the 12 states the benefit from Fadama II. States were split into three categories: direct recipients, individuals living in Fadama II communities but not directly participating and individuals living in communities not receiving Fadama II but Sample population have similar characteristics. Field teams randomly sampled 25 households each one of 4 randomly selected community associations in each state. This resulted in 3750 households. There were 1281 beneficiaries, 1240 non-beneficiary within beneficiary areas, and 1229 nonbeneficiaries outside of beneficiary areas. The study compares three different groups: direct recipients of the program, individuals Comparison conditions living in Fadama II communities but not directly participating and individuals living in communities not receiving Fadama II but have similar characteristics. Unit of analysis Household Level Evaluation Period The survey started a year after implementation of the project. The evaluation is ongoing Fadama II had significant positive impacts on households' access to markets, transportation services, productive assets, and household income and asset acquisition. The program reduced the distance and travel time to the nearest town compared to non-beneficiaries. Results Household incomes improved significantly with an average increase of about 60%. The project did not have a significant impact on the poorest tercile and more limited impact in the humid forest and moist savannah zones compared to the dry savannah. The program had a large and significant impact on productive assets in all areas. The baseline was completed after the program already started. The program was not rolled Primary study limitations out randomly. Funding Source Nkonya, E., Phillip, D., Mogues, T., Pender, J., Yahaya, M. K., Adebowale, G., ... & Kato, Reference(s) E. (2008). From the ground up: Impacts of a pro-poor community-driven development project in Nigeria. Intl Food Policy Res Inst. Link to Studies http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/pubs/pubs/dp/ifpridpbr00756.pdf Microdata Last updated: 14 August 2013 2 enGender Impact: The World Bank’s Gender Impact Evaluation Database Last updated: 14 August 2013 3