Overview of Geospatial Impact Evaluations
A brief introduction of the history, applications,, advantages, and ingredients of geospatial impact evaluations.
A brief introduction of the history, applications,, advantages, and ingredients of geospatial impact evaluations.
Course Resources
Resources
Slides (PDF)
Lesson 1 Slides: Overview of Geospatial Impact Evaluation
Code (GitHub)
https://github.com/aiddata/gie-toolkit
This GitHub repo contains code demonstrations for the entire course. This code includes examples of analysis in Stata as well as utilizing remote sensing and earth observation data through Google Earth Engine.
Key readings:
Baehr, C., A. BenYishay and B. Parks. “Linking Local Infrastructure Development and Deforestation: Evidence from Satellite and Administrative Data.” Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (Mar 2021), 8(2), pp. 375-409. Note:This paper offers an example of a recent GIE, conducted in partnership between AidData and the Government of Sweden’s external working group on impact evaluations. The paper uses a combination of forest cover and nighttime lights data to study the effects of rural infrastructure investments in Cambodia.
BenYishay, A., C. Glenn, S. Goodman, and R. Trichler. “Rebuilding Irrigation Infrastructure and Institutions: Evidence from Afghanistan.” Note: This paper offers another example of a recent GIE, conducted in partnership between AidData and USAID. The paper uses satellite-derived vegetative indices to assess the impacts of irrigation rehabilitation in Afghanistan. The paper includes extensive work in aligning the administrative irrigation boundary data with the satellite imagery, as well as validating the satellite-based vegetation measures with those from ground-based data.