Annals or Library Science and Documentation 1993,40(1),6-11

ADOPTION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYBY AGRICUl ruRAL UBRARIES IN INDIA

INTRODUCTlON

India's rural population consists of farmers (52%),farm labourers (30%), artisans and others (18%).Out of them, 73% are illiterate and engaged infarming and allied activities. On the other handcountry's population is multiplying at an alarmingrate. The world Bank forecasts that today's 850million population of India will be 1000 million in2000 AD. and is expected to be more than thatof China by 2025 AD. The cultivated land p~rperson has shrunk from 0.17 hec. in 1980 to 0.15hec. to-day and is expected to drop below 0.13 by2000 AD. To meet the unprecedented demandfor food, productive agriculture must continue toincrease the farm output, raw materials, etc. tomake an efficient use of the resources [1]. During1991-92, the Government of India spent throughICAR 351.81 crores of rupees, including 180.1crores on agricultural research and education underits plan budget [2]. Agricultural research, educa-tion, transfer of technology, communication andextension activities have to be visualised in termsof return for a given investment in each field.

AGRICUL lURAL RESEARCH AND TRANSFER OFTECHNOLOGY

Bunting says that westernised style of informationservice is not practicable in Indian conditions.ICAR being the apex body has developed a wellgrid two tier National Agricultural Research Sys-tem (NARS) of Cooperative Agriculture consistingof research institutes, project directorates, agricul-tural universities and All India Coordinated Re-search Projects (AICRPS) for agricultural research,education and extension for the promotion andadoption of improved technology keeping in viewthe prevailing agricultural conditions and vast illit-eracy in the country (Table 1) [3].

Out of these 361 NARS institutes, 209 agricultural

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CHHOTEY LAL.Head, Library Services,Mrs. S BHATIAtARt LibraryNew Delhi.110012

and professional institutions produce 12,341graduates including 8805 undergraduates and3534 post graduates every year.

For transfer of agricultural technologies, the firstline projects are Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK),National Demonstration Programmes (NDP),Operational Research Projects (ORP), Lab-to-Land Programmes (LLP) and Projects for SC & STs(Table 2). (4]

Central and State Government's, voluntaryorganisations and commercial agencies intro-duced a series of measures from time to time fordissemination of farm information in their ownfarming systems. The farm information unitsattached to various institutes and mass mediaalso play a vital role in speedy transfer of farmtechnology to help and achieve productivity onagricultural front. ICAR has the responsibility forthe development of agricultural manpower inIndia. India has the largest number of scientificand technical manpower in the field of agriculture(Table 3) working in the ICAR institutes, StateAgricultural Universities (SAUs) and other R & 0Departments [5].

There is an urgent and imminant need of theexploitation of integrated research to attain theoptimum level of productivity. Research andcommunication are two components d one system.While the research involves diffusion of new ideas,knowledge and technology. the communication isthe transfer of' information from one source toanother.

One of the objectives of ICAR is to act as a clearinghouse of information, i.e. to establish and maintaina reference and research library to fullfil theinformation needs of agricultural research work-ers of the country. Since 'Information is Power', itis utilised extensively by researchers, scientists,

Ann Lib Sci Doc

INFORMATION lECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTIJRAL LIBRARIES

academicians, pOlicy-makers, decision-makers,extension workers, farmers, industrialists and oth-ers to increase the production in all areas of agricul-ture. However, ICAR library remained as a depart-ment library and was unable to fulfil the informationneeds of agricultural scientists of the country.

Though ICAR has developed a strong NationalAgricultural Research System (NARS) with alarge infrastructure, it could not, so far, establisha National Agricultural Information System oran Agricultural Information Net-Work.

Table 1.

National Agricultural Research System in India

A : Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) System

ICAR InstitutesProject DirectoratesAICRPINational Research Centres

= 45= 9= 76= 26

B: State Agricultural Universities (SAU) and Colleges

Agricultural UniversitiesAgricultural Colleges

= 27178=

Total = 361

Table 2.

Agricultural Projects

1.2.3.4.5.

KVKsNDPsORPsLLPsSC & ST projects

=109 (+ 74 new KVKs sanctioned during 1991-92)48 (with 4065 Demonstrations during 1991-92)

400 approximately10426

=

=

Table 3.

Manpower in Agricultural Research services

ICAR Univ. & State Govt. Total

1. Scientists 6,480 24,000 30,4802. Research Managers 97 500 5973. Technicians (qualified 3,381 4,800 8,181

graduates)

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CHHOTEY LAL AND BHATIA

The IARI library having the largest and the richestcollection in the country, is providing informa-tion support to the scientists working in IARI andother departments in the country.

AGRICULTURAL UTERA TURE OUTPUT

Second half of the 20th century has been an era ofexponential growth of scientific literature. How-ever, it has been growing since 1665 at an annualrate of 5 to 7 percent. According to Dr. Stephen P.Lock, the editor of British Medical Journal, 1,00,000titles, the estimated number of scientific journals,publish around 3-4 million papers every year. Ag-riculture, being a multi-disciplinary subject, hasan extremely wide range of literature of potentialimportance to the scientists working in the field.The research contributions in agriculture and al-lied fields is also fairly high. On the basis ofvarious published secondary sources, namely,Biological Abstracts, Biological Abstracts/RRM,Chemical Abstracts, Bibliography of Agriculture(NAL), Agrindex (FAa) and CABI AbstractingServices, the published literature is estimatedto around 5 to 7 lakh documents each yearincluding 1 lakh books/monographs, ad-hocreports, reviews, proceedings, etc.

In India, the output of agro-biological literatureis estimated to be about 25,000 papers pub-lished in about 500 journals and 300 mono-graphs, proceedings, reports, etc.

This overflow of literature has created a sortof information crisis, which has to be handled bythe library and information scientists who processand manage the literature in a fashion that ultimateuser gets the required information easily.

STATE-OF-lliE-ART OF AGRICULTURALUBRARIES

"Libraries are not mere store houses, they aresprings of knowledge, which flow out to irrigatethe wide fields of education and culture", said Dr.S. R. Ranganathan. Today, the libraries are anintegral part of our education and researchsystem. Their main objective is to acquire, proc-ess, organise and disseminate information so thatit reaches expeditiously to its potential users. Inagricultural sector, the appropriate transfer oftechnology pre-supposes the adequate economicstudy of the farmers who are actual users of the

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technical know-how at the grassroot level. Sinceinformation is the basic resource for all-round prog-ress in agriculture, the librarians and informationscientists have to utilize the modern informationtechnology to support education, research andextension systems, production of goods and serv-ices for the community, all of which go to improvethe quality of life. However, the information infra-structure in India has not grown to the extent itshould have been. Most of the libraries, particu-larly in the field of agriculture, still follow the con-ventional methods of dealing with information, eventhough the expertise to adopt and absorbmodern information technology is not lacking inthe country.

In December 1991, the IARllibrary had conducteda questionnaire survey of ICAR institutes andagricultural university libraries. Questionnaireswere sent to 26 agricultural universities and 40ICAR institutes. Out of which 16 university (62%)and 34 institute libraries (85%) responded. Thepicture does not seem to be very bright in termsof collection, subscription, budget and man-power. In ICAR institutes, it represents a moregloomy picture. On an average 26 Institute librar-ies have less than 2 professionals, 10 librarieshave one, 9 libraries have 2 and 7 libraries have 3professionals each. The book collection variesfrom 1,00,000 (IARI Library) to 597 (National Bu-reau of Animal Genetics, Karnal). The periodicalvolumes vary from 3,00,000 (IARI) to 200 (CIAE,Bhopal) and current periodical titles from 5,000(IARt) to 38 (NBAG, Karnal). Similarly the budgetsfor books/journals also vary from 7 percent (CMFRI,Cochin) to 1.34% (CIBA, Madras). In agriculturaluniversity libraries the book collection andcurrent titles are comparatively more, theirbudget ranges from 8% (HPKV) to 0.4% (BAU,Ranchi), similarly SAU libraries (75%) had morespecialised collections than those of institutelibraries (70%). Ten libraries (29%) do not provideany documentation or current awareness service.Eleven libraries (32%) claimed to have automa-tion facilities ano- 25 libraries (73%) provide pho-tocopying facilities. The university libraries haveslightly better book collection, budget, man-power and services, i.e. photocopying (93%)and documentation or CAS services (75%). 87%university libraries have compiled catalogue ofjournals/theses and books as against 91% of ICARlibraries, for bibliographical control of literature intheir holdings [6].

Ann Lib Sci Doc

UBRARY lNFORMAllON SERVICES

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURAL LIBRARIES

The basic objective of library services is tb providerequired information to its users - the policy-rnak-ers, the decision-makers, the res- earchers, theteachers, the scholars, the extension workers, theliterate and progressive farmers, etc. The serviceis given to the distant library users by repackagingof published information. A few ICAR institutesand SAU libraries are providing various libraryand information services, The data given in Table4 reflect that ICAR/SAUs scientists, teachers andresearch workers are not well motivated and pro-vided with current agricultural information.

The majority of the libraries are not providing anybibliographic or current awareness service. ICARinstitute libraries (65%) and SAU libraries (82%)did not claim to have any computer application.

This pathetic state is due to the following:

a) poorly managed libraries,b) lack of agricultural information system or

agricultural libraries network andc) lack of a National Agricultural Information

Policy.

DATABASES IN INDIAN AGRICUL ruRALUBRARIES

Some of the ICAR institute libraries have takeninitiatives in creating databases in their respectiveareas of research, such as, CTRI on tobacco,NORI on dairy, CPCRI on plantation crops, JTRIon jute and sunhemp, CRIDA Hyderabad ondry land agriculture, etc. CPRI Simla has createda machine readable database on potato compris-ing over 6,000 references from 1900 to date, IARIlibrary has also installed two PC-386/ATs and onePC-286/ AT and has converted all 1635 secondarysources into machine readable form. Further,CGIAR depository publications are in the process

Table 4.

Information Services

SI. Kind of Service ICAR % SAU %No. Institute Libraries Libraries

(34) (16)

1. Reprography 25 73% 15 93%

2. List of Periodicals 3 8% 3 18%

3. List of Additions 8 23% 8 50%

4. Indexing to Current- 6 18% 4 25%Periodical Literature

5. Subject/T opical 2 6% 2 13%bibiliography

6. Current Contents 9 26% 3 18%

7. Press Clippings 2 6% Nil

8. Abstracts Services 4 12% Nil

9. SOl 3% Nil

10. Library Bulletins 9 26% 2 13%

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CHHOTEY LAL AND BHATIA

of computerisation. IARI Ubrary has also built abibliography of Indian agriculture on card formsince 1944 which contains 1,50,000 references.ARIC of ICAR has created a database of ad-hocresearch projects.

Among the SAUs only APAU (Hyderabad) re-ported the use of CDS/ISIS software. Bio Infor-matics Centre (BIC) of the Department of Biotech-nology (Govt. of India) housed within the IARIlibrary premises has created a database onplant tissue culture, photosynthesis and plantmolecular biology. This is to emphasize that it ispre-requisite for agricultural libraries to creatmachine readable databases in standard formatfor computer networking at local, reqional andnational levels. With the decision of Dr. N.Seshagiri (the Director-General of National Infor-matics Centre) to make Indian databases avail-able on CD-ROMs, it is essential for the agricul-turallibraries to equip themselves by adopting themodern Information Technology to the maximumto create the databases in machine readable form.

CONSTRAINTS IN APPUCAllON OF INFORMA-llON TECHNOLOGY

The use of computers started in 1950's and duringthe last four decades they underwent rapidtechnological developments from digital tosuper computers. Micro chip technology gavetremendous computing power, working speedand accuracy in personal computers. Magnatictapes, Floppy-diskettes and CD-ROMs providedlarge data storage capacity and retrieval facilities.Telecommunications provided opportunities oflinking personal computers with distant comput-ers at local, regional, national and internationallevels. Indian as well as international markets areflooded with PCs, and software. Databases areavailable for search globaly through vendors likeDIALOG. Why are the agricultural libraries inIndia not coming forward to make the best use ofthe whole system? Possibly they are facing someconstraints as follows:

Language Problem

The agricultural libraries in India are getting maxi-mum journals in foreign languages includingEnglish. In various states of India, the medium ofteaching is regional language, particularly Hindiin northern states. Therefore, agricultural litera-

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ture is also being published in various regionallanguages which is equally used by the farmersand researchers. The computerisation and re-packaging of such information may be posing aproblem and needs attention.

Role of the Government and ICAR

Government of India does not have any NationalAgricultural Information Policy. ICAR has also notdeveloped any agricultural information system ornetwork or any central node for coordinating ag-ricultural information activities in the country. Inthe absence of such policy, objectives or guide-lines, the librarians have no way, but to follow thetraditional course.

Library Budget

UGC, as a norm, has recommended 6 percent ofthe working budget of the university for all· rounddevelopment of libraries. Unfortunately no library,perhaps, is getting its full budgetary allocation.ICAR agrees in principle for 3% of budgetallocation, but there is no consistency. It variesfrom institute to institute.As described earlier oneICAR library gets 7% and the other only 1.3% ofthe budget. Even the IARI library, the largestamong the agricultural libraries gets about 1.5%of the budget. This budget allocation coversother contingencies also. The libraries have in-adequate physical facilities, collection and man-power. Thus budgetary constraints do not en-courage and motivate the librarians to modernisethe libraries.

Training of Library Staff

In view of inadequate funds to the libraries and thebudgetary restrictions on expenditure by the gov-ernment, the library staff, generally, is not deputedto attend professional conferences/seminars andworkshops, where they can get better exposuresto new vistas in library science and informationtechnology (IT). IT has recently stepped in thethresholds of Indian library and information field.Several organisations are conducting trainingcourses in computer application, soft-ware devel-opment and their use. Deputation to such courseswill definitely prepare the staff working in agricul-tural libraries to work in new environment of auto-mation and networking.

Ann Lib Sci Doc

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURAL LIBRARIES

STANDARDISATlON OF BIBUOGRAPHIC DATA

Libraries maintain their bibliographic records oncatalogue cards and generally, they followdifferent catalogue codes, classification schemesand subject terms/key words. For cornputerisa-tion or conversion of library data into electronicform, there is a strong need of standardisation indata description. Removal of vagaries and incon-sistency is pre-requisite. The voluminous recordsneed to be rendered in standardized form byadopting compatible standards for cataloguingand terminology.

MOTlVATlON OF UBRARIANS AND INFORMA-TlON SCIENTlSTS

The achievements of targets set for all roundagricultural research and development, dependson the information support to the scientists. There-fore, a National Agricultural Information System(NAIS) parellel to the National Agricultural Re-search System (NARS) is imperative for agricul-tural research in India. Present infrastructure ofagricultural libraries is not strong enough topromise such information support to the scien-tists. It needs to be improved and strengthened.Motivation of human resource is a must. Gener-ally, libraries do not get much support and encour-agement from the government and the manage-ment. In addition to the orientation and improve-ment in the academic and professional skills oflibrarians, they must be given status, emolu-ments, benefits and incentives equal to those ofthe scientists, teachers and others in the sameorganisation.

CONCLUSION

It is "better late than never". Since publishedliterature is increasingly made available on CDs,Floppies/Diskettes, etc., the agricultural librariescan not afford to lag behind in their procurementand use. The procurement of publications inelectronic media will save a lot of storage spaceand give the facility of rapid access and search ofvoluminous data. A speedier CAS/SOl service canalso be provided to the scientists.

Vol 40 No 1 March 1993

The cost of journals and scientific books isincreasing enormously. The libraries are facingsevere budgetary constraints and not able todevelop a need-based minimum collection tofullfil the information needs of their clientele. Hence,there is an emergent need of networking of librar-ies for sharing their resources to meet the informa-tion requirement. The DELNET is an example inthis direction. It proposes to save more than 75lakh rupees on periodicals subscription. Theconstraints in computerisation of bibliographicdata and the problems, which may arise out ofnetworking may be discussed and thrashed out atprofessional, institutional and governmental lev-els.

REFERENCES

1. International Fertiliser Association:Sustainable agricultural systems forthe 21st century. Paris, April 1992.

2. India, Ministry of Agriculture: Ann-ual report, 1991-92.

3. Association of Indian Universities:University handbook. Ed. 25, NewDelhi, Ass Indian Univ, 1992.

4. India, Ministry of Agriculture: Opcit.

5. Raman K V: Management of humanresources in agricultural research-areport. The Hague, ISNAR, 1986; 87-89

6. Indian Agricultural Research Insti-tute: Survey of Agricultural librar-ies, 1991.

7. BIOSIS: Catalogue of Information andProducts, 1992.

8. CABI News" May 1992.

9. Gore Jr A: Next information revolu-tion. The Futurist. Jan-Feb. 1991; 21-23

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