FAO Agricultural Development Economics Policy Brief, No. 67.

Evaluation of the Action Against Desertification Programme (AAD) in Northern Nigeria. To address the lack of baseline information, a counterfactual scenario was built based on ex ante spatial program information and a combination of machine learning and quasi-experimental impact evaluation techniques. We find that large-scale, bottom-up-led, land restoration in Northern Nigeria led to the adoption of more climate-resilient options. Households participating in the programme increased the commercialization of livestock by-products and non-timber forest products (NTFPs) as promoted activities targeted local market opportunities. Also, changes in livelihoods did not result in food insecurity, to the contrary, they improved it.