Agricultural Information Initiatives:Implications for Developing Country Services

Barbara HutchinsonWorld Ag Info Workshop 1:Knowledge SystemsCornell University October 2, 2007

Background

In the beginning…– AGRICOLA– CAB Abstracts– AGRIS

Then…

the WEB

The Result

• Proliferation of… - isolated websites

• Opportunities for… - targeted content for specific stakeholders

- gateways and portals - integrated, interactive information systems

• Challenges to… - digitize collections/build repositories - agree to common standards - provide open access

The Response

International Context– Millennium Development Goals– World Summit on the Information Society

Coherence Initiatives– COAIM workshops in 2000 & 2002– Publication of “Fertile Ground” in 2003– Results of stakeholder surveys, 2003-4– 1st Expert Consultation on IISAST in 2005

Task Forces: Advocacy, Content Mgt, & Capacity Bldg

– “e-Agriculture week” in September 2007

Preservation Program– USAIN/Cornell – NEH-funded– Historical agricultural literature

Portals– AgNIC (NAL, Land-grant universities & others)– eXtension (USDA/CSREES)

Repositories– AgEcon Search Open Source repository

Proposed AgNIC initiatives for “born digital” and “re-born digital” agricultural materials

North American Collaborative Initiatives

Federated Searching

Portal to Synthesized Information

Takes user to Babel Fish online translation service

Delivering Best Practices

Organizations, Projects, Experts, & Events

Services

My lessons learned…

Just Use Your Hands…

Technical Side- Blogs

- Wikis

- Tags

- Feeds

- Mash-ups

Human Dimensions- People

- Access

- Participation

- Content

= Change

With many spider webs, you can tie up a lion!