Harnessing the collective efforts and best practices of the education and research communities in partnership with key private sector champions and public sector policymakers will stimulate production and innovation in Egypt’s agriculture sector. This approach informs USAID’s Center of Excellence for Agriculture, designed to capitalize on Egypt’s strengths in agriculture and formulate data-driven policy and applied research in areas such as agricultural economics, animal husbandry, and veterinary science. Cornell University and the Center’s host, Cairo University, are both internationally recognized leaders in agricultural research. The two institutions have combined their best thinking with the private sector to generate sustainable solutions to transform agricultural businesses and livelihoods in Egypt.  

Through the establishment of the Center, USAID, in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, is strengthening the capacity of Cairo University’s Faculty of Agriculture to link research with public and private sector needs. The Center also supports research that is vital to Egypt’s economic growth and job creation; creates scholarship opportunities for students to pursue studies in agriculture-related fields; and supports curricula development that includes new courses, degree programs, and teaching methodology.

Implementing Partners: Cornell University and Cairo University (with Ain Shams University, Assiut University, Benha University, and Suez Canal University in Egypt and Michigan State University, Purdue University, and the University of California-Davis in the U.S.); Life of Project: February 2019 – February 2024; Total Estimated Cost: $30 million; Governorates: Nationwide

GOALS

• Update university curricula and teaching methods to align Egyptian university education with the needs of industry and government; strengthen the capacity of Egyptian universities to produce high-quality, applied research that is responsive to Egypt’s needs in its agricultural sector
• Facilitate joint research projects and visiting scholar residencies for Egyptian and American faculty as well as applied research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students
• Establish undergraduate- and graduate-level degrees and scholarship programs that emphasize market-driven course content, student-centered learning, and cross-border exchanges; scholarships will focus on women, financially disadvantaged students, and students with disabilities
• Create lasting partnerships and linkages among Egyptian and American universities and bring together Egyptian and American agricultural experts from academia, the government, and the private sector to exchange innovative ideas, share best practices in education, and collaborate on cutting-edge research
• Foster innovations in lab-to-market technologies for agriculture that may be suitable for commercialization

EXPECTED RESULTS

• Provide academic training that aligns with the current needs of the Egyptian agricultural commercial and public sectors, allowing workforce-ready students to make an immediate impact in the Egyptian agricultural economy and improve private- and public-sector performance
• Increase the quality and quantity of applied research projects that transform agricultural businesses and livelihoods in Egypt, support entrepreneurial thinking, and foster the potential for wider international application
• Increase the government’s capacity for effective policy-making informed by high caliber and collaborative research