Power to the partners? Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) as an approach for more pluralistic agricultural extension service in Egypt

Agriculture remains a key and sensitive economic sector in Egypt. Given contemporary geo-political concerns
that limit access to international markets, it continues to remain responsible for the production of food and
fiber needed for a growing population. Efficacy in agricultural Extension Services (AES), within the broader
scope of an agricultural innovation system, has the potential to assist in the government’s mandate, and
particularly so given historical levels of high public investment and attention to this institution. Our focus is on
current limitations in both access to, and delivery of, effective public extension services; as well as on
opportunities for enhancing the delivery of more pluralistic and equitable extension services through public
private partnerships (PPPs). The methodological framework is largely qualitative, guided by a review of both
historical and contemporary literature. Recommendations for reviving efficacy in public provision of AES in
Egypt include: (i) establishment of non-parastatal CSOs, or representative farmers’ and producers’ NGOs and
associations, (ii) recruitment of new village extension workers (VEWs) as an urgent requirement to fill the gap
resulting from retirement of an aged population of extension agents, and (iii) enhancing organizational and
institutional arrangements required to facilitate better linkages between researchers and end users of
knowledge generated.