IJBED 2051-848X 2051-8498 https://doi.org/10.24052/IJBED/ 34 Volume 14 Issue 02 2026-11-01

240 https://ijbed.org/details&cid=240 2026-06-14 Developing countries such as India should create highly innovative Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) ecosystems by adopting the Regional Innovation Systems (RIS) approach which envisages industrial clusters surrounded by innovation supporting organizations, particularly universities and research institutes. Policies should be crafted to advance partnerships among colleges and universities, government institutions, nonprofit agencies and SMEs for creating a highly innovative milieu of innovation. The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), an apex body set up by Government of India for fostering Research and Development(R&D) in the fields of natural sciences, should follow the lead of the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the US Small Business Administration (SBA), both federal agencies that manage programs for advancing innovation in small businesses. The NSF invests in basic research across all fields of fundamental science and engineering and runs the Small Business Innovation Program for assessing potential business ideas through involvement of small businesses in research and development. The SBA runs Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, specifically designed to help SMEs plan, start and expand their businesses by connecting companies with lenders and funding. Though Indian SMEs have demonstrated acumen for innovation in hi tech industries such as space research, their full potential needs to be harnessed. Indian academic institutions produce high quality research but rank poorly in terms of academia industry interaction, thus hindering the innovative potential of the economy. The paper presents an India specific perspective on the RIS approach, and gives policy prescriptions for unleashing the economy’s innovative potential. Cooke, P. (1996) ‘The new wave of regional innovation networks: Analysis, characteristics and strategy’, Small Business Economics, 8(2), pp. 159–171. Simmie, J. and Sennett, J. (1999) ‘Innovative clusters: global or local linkages?’, National Institute Economic Review, 170, pp. 87–98 Kharbanda, V.P. (2001) ‘Facilitating innovation in Indian small and medium enterprises – The role of clusters’, Current Science, 80(3), pp. 343–348. Gomes, J. (2001) ‘SMEs and industrial clusters: Lessons for India from Italian experience’, Economic and Political Weekly, 36(49), pp. 4532–4533. Maskell, P. (2001) ‘The firm in economic geography’, Economic Geography, 77(4), pp. 329–344. Chaminade, C. and Vang, J. (2006) Innovation policy for Asian SMEs: Exploring cluster differences. CIRCLE Working Paper 2006/03. Lund: Lund University. Arif, B. (2012) ‘Industrial clusters, Schumpeterian innovations and entrepreneurs’ human and social capital: A survey of literature’, Pakistan Economic and Social Review, 50(1), pp. 71–95. Schrammel, T. (2013) ‘Bridging the institutional void: An analytical concept to develop valuable cluster services’, Management Revue, 24(2), pp. 114–132. Jin, H. (2014) ‘Industry–university–government collaboration and the development of hi-tech industries in China: The cases of Founder and Neusoft’, Hitotsubashi Journal of Commerce and Management, 48(1), pp. 119–131. Garone et al.  (2015) ‘Cluster development policy, SME's performance, and spillovers: Evidence from Brazil’, Small Business Economics, 44(4), pp. 925–948. Gwebu et al. (2019) ‘Differential performance of science park firms: An integrative model’, Small Business Economics, 52(1), pp. 193–211. World Intellectual Property Organization (2012) Global innovation index 2012. Geneva: World Intellectual Property Organization. Export Import Bank of India (2023): Himachal Pradesh: A Possible Export Strategy, Occasional Paper No. 216, Mumbai World Intellectual Property Organization (2025) Global innovation index 2025. Geneva: World Intellectual Property Organization. Economic Times (2023) ‘Sunrise food processing sector got Rs 50,000 crore worth FDI in last 9 years, says PM Modi’, The Economic Times, 3 November. Available at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/rs-50000-crore-fdi-in-food-processing-sector-in-last-nine-years-says-pm-modi/articleshow/104934827.cms?from=mdr The Hindu Business Line (2023) ‘Farm to plate: How small businesses form the backbone of the Indian food industry’, The Hindu Business Line, 10 September. Available at: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/how-small-businesses-form-the-backbone-of-the-indian-food-industry/article67289896.ece Times of India (2023) ‘The trident approach to making India an R&D powerhouse’, The Times of India, 23 March. Available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-edit-page/the-trident-approach-to-making-india-an-rd-powerhouse-institutions-need-to-work-as-clusters-in-partnership-with-firms-which-will-bring-funding/ Times of India (2024) ‘Semiconductor mission’s great but academia can chip in’, The Times of India, 3 March. Available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/all-that-matters/semiconductor-missions-great-but-academia-can-chip-in/articleshow/108168309.cms Economic Times (2025) ‘India's food processing sector projected to reach $535 bn by FY26 end’, The Economic Times, 5 September 2025. Available at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/food/indias-food-processing-sector-projected-to-reach-535-bn-by-fy26-end/articleshow/123717398.cms?from=mdr https://ijbed.org/cdn/article_file/V14-N2-Nov26.pdf Chander Shekhar Dogra Satinder Kumar SME cluster innovation university-industry linkage ANRF NSF 239 13 0

241 https://ijbed.org/details&cid=241 2026-06-23 Agricultural exports serve as critical drivers of economic growth by generating foreign currency earnings, stimulating employment creation, facilitating the adoption of advanced production technologies, and enhancing the overall competitiveness of the agricultural sector. Egypt's potato exports recorded a robust average annual growth rate of 11.9% during the period 2000–2024, representing approximately 5% of the total value of the country's agricultural exports. This remarkable performance raises an important research question regarding the principal determinants underpinning the growth trajectory of Egyptian potato exports. The present study seeks to examine the standing of Egyptian potato exports within key destination markets, to identify the principal countries competing with Egypt in global potato trade, and to empirically investigate the determinants of such export flows. Employing an augmented gravity model, the empirical results reveal that three variables exert the most statistically significant influence on Egyptian potato export performance: the bilateral exchange rate, the population of the importing country, and the physical distance between Cairo and the importers' capitals. While the GDP of Egypt and its trading partners, together with economic development differentials, also demonstrate significance, their explanatory weight is comparatively lower. The aggregate size of Egypt's specific export market for potatoes is likewise found to be of secondary importance in explaining bilateral trade flows. Ahmed, E. F. Y., & Soliman, M. A. (2023). An economic study of the future of the Egyptian potato sector. Journal of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences, 14(9), 543–549. Aliou, M., et al. (2024). Economic analysis of production and marketing of Egyptian potatoes. Journal of Agricultural Economics. Bahloul, M. A., & Ahmed, H. M. (2021). Demand analysis of Egyptian potato exports using the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) model. Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences, 20(4), 245–256. Bergstrand, J. H. (1985). The gravity equation in international trade: Some microeconomic foundations and empirical evidence. Review of Economics and Statistics, 67(3), 474–481. Bojnec, Š., & Fertő, I. (2019). Determinants of agricultural export competitiveness in developing countries. Agricultural Economics Review, 20(2), 45–62. Dabbous, S. B. (2023). Analytical study of the competitiveness of Egyptian potato exports. Egyptian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 33(1), 115–132. El-Banna, A. M. M., Abdallah, M. A., & Others. (2023). An economic study of the factors affecting Egyptian potato exports in major foreign markets. Egyptian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 33(2), 1–18. El-Zenaty, E. A. (2023). Economic analysis of Egyptian potato export indicators. Journal of Agricultural Studies, 15(2), 77–95. Elawady, S. I. (2003). The influence of international economic variables upon Egyptian agricultural exports (Unpublished M.Sc. thesis). Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University. Emam, M. S. (2024). Geographical distribution and competitiveness of Egyptian potato exports in major international markets. Alexandria Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 69(1), 115–132. Ewada, M. (2013). Impact of European Union regulations on Egyptian potato exports. Journal of International Agricultural Trade, 5(1), 89–110. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) & International Trade Centre (ITC). (2018). Global potato trade and competitiveness report. Rome: FAO. Frankel, J. A. (1997). Regional trading blocs. Washington, DC: Institute for International Economics. Gad, A. D., et al. (2023). Analysis of major export markets for Egyptian potatoes. Middle East Agricultural Economics Journal, 12(4), 55–74. Hammam, A. A., & El-Damrawy, M. A. (2022). Competitive position of Egyptian potato exports in traditional and non-traditional markets. Egyptian Journal of Agricultural Research, 100(4), 725–742. Helpman, E., & Krugman, P. R. (1985). Market structure and foreign trade: Increasing returns, imperfect competition, and the international economy. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Idsardi, E. (2010). The determinants of agricultural export growth in South Africa. Paper presented at the AAAE & AEASA Conference, Cape Town, South Africa. International Monetary Fund (IMF). (2013). World economic outlook database. Retrieved from http://www.imf.org Kassem, A. M. F., Hassan, R. A. M., & Tantawy, N. M. E. (2024). The possibility of increasing the competitiveness of Egyptian potato exports in global markets. Journal of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences, 15(12), 507–518. Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (MALR). (2009). Sustainable agricultural development strategy towards 2030. Egypt. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2022). Climate change and agricultural trade competitiveness. Paris: OECD Publishing. P. (1963). A tentative model for the volume of trade between countries. Weltwirtschaftliches Archive, 90, 93–99. Poyhonen, P. (1963) A Tentative Model for the Volume of Trade between Countries. Weltwirtschaftliches Archive, 90, 93-100. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40436776 Reardon, T., et al. (2020). Supply chain transformation and agricultural exports. Global Food Security, 26, 100–112. Sherif, J. S., et al. (2021). Competitiveness of Egyptian potato exports in global markets. Journal of Agricultural Trade and Development, 14(2), 90–108. Tameem, M. M. A. S., Ahmed, D. A. B., Ahmed, S. A. M., Rahim, H. O. A., & Hashem, A. A. (2024). An economic study of the competitiveness of Egyptian potato exports. Middle East Journal of Agriculture Research, 13(3), 690–706. https://doi.org/10.36632/mejar/2024.13.3.38 Tinbergen, J. (1962). Shaping the world economy: Suggestions for international economic policy. New York: Twentieth Century Fund. UNCTAD & WTO. (2012). A practical guide to trade policy analysis. World Bank. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 on global agricultural trade. Washington, DC: World Bank. https://ijbed.org/cdn/article_file/Paper-2-IJBED-00079-Sally-I.-A.-Elawady.pdf Sally I. A. Elawady agricultural competitiveness determinants of trade Egypt export growth gravity model Potato exports 77 16 0