Using data from Mali and Niger and sophisticated econometric models, this study examines how climate-smart agricultural technologies (CSAT) affect food security among smallholder farmers in the West African Sahel. Results show that adopters are, paradoxically, more food insecure than non-adopters, despite the fact that a variety of socioeconomic, institutional, and environmental factors are found to influence both CSAT adoption and food security outcomes. According to mechanism analysis, adopting farmers increase market sales rather than allocating a larger portion of their output to household consumption, increasing revenue without necessarily improving dietary access. Adoption of CSAT may increase incomes, but if gains are not converted into improved nutrition, food security may suffer. This emphasizes the need for policies and extension programs that strike a balance between market participation and household food needs.