As a result of policies outlined under NEPAD, outsourcing advisory services research has become a key component of rural innovation systems in many African countries. In sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere, the public sector is looking for ways to involve the private sector in enhancing innovation systems with new knowledge, services and experiences. While it is generally thought that outsourcing will benefit poorer farmers by orienting services towards their needs, not much is known about the implications of outsourcing or about outsourcing modalities.

This bulletin presents the findings and lessons learned from case studies on outsourcing agricultural advisory services in Tanzania, Mozambique, Uganda and Mali. The lessons presented here concern the enabling environment at local and national level, demand and supply capacity, changing roles and responsibilities, outsourcing functions and performance of outsourcing systems, as well as the overriding importance of institutional development. Unique to these case studies was the close collaboration between the public and private sectors and the heavy reliance on the public sector for funding.

This bulletin aims to contribute to interactive learning between practitioners and policymakers involved in outsourcing in sub-Saharan African countries. The outsourcing guidelines presented will help to guide organizations involved in outsourcing demand-driven service provision in agriculture or social sectors such as rural health and education.