CAPACITY BUILDING THRU RESEARCH--NARP
The National Agricultural Research Project

NARP, which operated from the mid-1980s until the mid- 1990s, represents the largest agricultural research development project ever undertaken by USAID in Egypt, and perhaps the largest of any in the developing world. The $205 million undertaking was directed at improving Egypt‘s adaptation and use of modern technology to strengthen agricultural production.

In 1986, the project‘s goal was to improve the capacity for state-of-the- art agricultural research in Egypt. The accomplishments of the project over its eight year life span include:

• capacity building, human resources development, seed policy, agricultural engineering,

• research system improvement, research management and administration, as well as

• improving the capability of the agricultural research and technology transfer system,

• including ARC, Universities and National Research Center (NRC).

Among NARP’s principal accomplishments was human resource development in agricultural research. More than 6,000 Ph.D., M.Sc. and B.Sc. holders participated in research under NARP. In addition, 90 students obtained their Ph.D. degrees from US universities, 20 obtained their M.Sc. degrees, and 2,150 traveled to US universities for post-doctoral training and exchange visits. This cadre of agricultural scientists is now serving in leadership positions in public and private sector institutions in the agricultural sector.

The NARP project also had an Agricultural Policy Analysis Component (APAC). Its principal objective was to provide technical assistance to strengthen the planning, policy analysis and monitoring capabilities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation and the Ministry of Public Works and Water Resources. This was the analytical tool used to help develop benchmarks for the policy reform component under APCP. It therefore was one of the predecessors of later programs such as APRP. It also built the foundation for later programs such as Agricultural Data Collection and Analysis (ADCA).

The Assessment Team: Donald L. Plucknett. James Ross, Harold Youngberg, and B.T. York. Jr., team leader E.T. York. Jr.(105)