This paper analyses the crop production intensification credit [Crédit d’Intensification de la Production Agricole] (CIPA) and its impact on smallholders farmers in Burkina Faso. The methodological approach of the evaluation is based on a randomized experiment coupled to propensity score matching. For the latter, the strategy was to use the observable characteristics of producers and their farms to identify, in non-CIPA areas, producers who have characteristics that have an impact on the propensity to take a credit similar to the CIPA beneficiary producers. We used a Difference-in-Difference approach and analysed the changes in the results between the baseline (2015) and final (2017) surveys witch result in a total of 955 observations in the northern of Burkina Faso and 1,311 in the southern part. The results show that CIPA has a positive effect on area planted, yield, production and sales.
However, there is heterogeneity regarding gender, province and perceived quality of services to producers (provided by extension agents, producers’ organization and input suppliers). Development projects should therefore consider this heterogeneity in the design of their interventions.