ICT Expert Consultation on the Development of Second Phase of APARIS. APARIS Status Note

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1 ICT Expert Consultation on the Development of Second Phase of APARIS October 2002, Rama Gardens Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand APARIS Status Note The first part of this paper presented the outcomes of the initial phase of APARIS (Asia- Pacific Agricultural Research Information System) that have been achieved and developed during January 2001-July The second part provided an overview of further processes for the organization of the ICT Expert Consultation on the Development of Second Phase of APARIS, as well as the main considerations that shall be taken into accounts during the Expert Consultation. APARIS Phase I APARIS has been developed and operated as Information Gateway on APAARI Web Site. There are seven main components of APARIS as per the following. 6 Management Information Tools for the monitoring of ARD activities The following regional databases have been established or are in the process of being established: 1.1 Regional Research Networks (RRN) Database: This database currently has information on 19 regional networks, and it will continue to develop in the near future in order to cover all the networks that effectively operate in the region, at both the regional and the sub-regional levels (i.e. South Asia, South East Asia, etc.). This database presently provides information on such RRNs as NACA, APAFRI, INGER, COGENT, the Regional Network on Plant Genetic Resources, CLAN, CORRA, the Rice-Wheat Consortium and others. This database also provides access to the web sites of the RRNs, when they exist. Thus it provides a portal function to the RRNs, and this last dimension forms part of the general Gateway or Portal Function as well as provides access to the information resources that these networks have. 6.1 NARS Database: This is a database, currently under construction, that will provide information on the various institutions that constitute the NARS of the Asia-Pacific region. This institutional database is being developed with the support of FAO/SDRR. Once established, it will be the responsibility of each NINP to maintain the information in this database updated in the future. 6.2 Regional Associations Database: Provides information on regional associations that are related to ARD. 6.3 ARD Projects Database: In the future, APARIS will establish a network among all the National Projects Databases that the NARIS and other NARS institutions have, covering the projects of each institution. In the meantime, APARIS has been providing access to projects databases that already exist, either at the global level (i.e. CARIS), at the regional level (i.e. in 1

2 regional research networks), or at the corporate level in important research institutions (i.e. the international centers of the CGIAR). The database will be constructed in a decentralized fashion, following the subsidiary principle. In order to make this possible, the same protocol will have to be adopted by the Projects Data Bases in all the NARS of the region. 1.5 Daily Agriculture News: This information service facilitates access to important agricultural news at the global level that can be of interest to end users in the APAARI region. This information is presently being generated by a web-based information service ( 1.6 Database on Agricultural Research and Development Indicators: One of the main information requirements that policy-makers and research managers face is that of keeping track and of analyzing key indicators of agricultural research activities in any country or region. This refers to such indicators as public and private investment in agricultural R&D, number of researchers, distribution of the R&D investment in the various sub-sectors of agricultural production and of agro-ecosystems, indicators of technology transfer and of technology adoption, innovation indicators, impact indicators and others. IFPRI and ISNAR will soon be conducting a series of national surveys that form part of the ASTI (Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators) Project. 2. Information on Regional Events related to ARD and to ICM: Two databases constitute this third component: 2.1 Meetings and Events related to ARD and ICM: This database provides information on important meetings and other events taking place in the Asia/Pacific region in the area of agricultural research for development (ARD) and of information and communication management (ICM). This database provides systematic coverage of APAARI activities and events, and provides general information on scientific and technological events that are being organized by stakeholders in the region. 6.1 ICM Training Activities in the region: A database will gradually be built with information on information and communication management (ICM) training that is taking place in the region. 3. Facilitate Access to Scientific Publications generated by Agricultural Research in the Region: There are Scientific Publications posted on web site both APAARI publications and Other ARD Publications. 4. Electronic Fora to facilitate dialogue among stakeholders of ARD in the region on issues of strategic importance: APARIS will respond to the concrete demands generated by its members, to make sure that it is needs-driven and user-driven. Access to the following electronic fora has been provided in this last year and is presently available through the APAARI website. 4.1 Electronic Forum on Information and Training Requirements in the Asia- Pacific region: This forum was carried out by the NINPs of the region in order to 2

3 provide basic inputs for the design of the APAARI website and for the construction of APARIS. This electronic forum took place from May to July of 2000, and its recommendations and conclusions can be accessed through the website. This was an important exercise of needs-assessment. 4.2 Access to the EGFAR NARS Forum: This is an electronic forum being constructed by the GFAR Secretariat at the global level, aimed at facilitating the exchange of information and experiences among the NARS on research management issues that are of interest to them. The EGFAR-NARS Forum is currently in its design phase, and will become operational in Through this link, APARIS will facilitate the participation of Asia-Pacific NARS in this global NARS Electronic Forum. 4.3 Specialized Thematic Electronic Fora will be facilitated by APARIS or thematic organization(s) related to them in the future, on topics of common concern to the NARS of the region. 6 Gateway/Portal Service: The objective of this component of APARIS is to facilitate access to information resources in the web, both through search engines and by facilitating access to web sites of institutions that work in ARD and to web sites that are related to specialized topics of ARD. This is only a portal service, and not a database. In some cases, these portal services are related to the databases that are described in point 2 above (Management Information Tools). The following portal services are currently being provided: 6.1 Portal to Regional Research Networks (RRN): This portal facilitates access to the web sites of the Regional Research Networks that operate in the region, when these web sites exist. This portal is based on the database on RRNs described in 1.1 above. 5.2 Portal to the Websites of NARS Institutions in the Asia/Pacific region (through EGFAR/NDIL): Access to the web sites of the NARS institutions in the region is being facilitated through the NDIL Directory that was developed by the GFAR Secretariat in EGFAR, and that now is being transferred to each of the RAIS in the respective region. In the case of this region, this Directory will now be operated and managed by the APARIS Support Unit. The responsibility for the continuing development of each NARS or Country Page will be in the hands of each NINP. NDIL functions as a Yellow Pages Directory of NARS institutions around the world. This portal will be closely related to the NARS Database that is presently under construction, described in section 1.2 above. 6.2 Portal to web-enabled information on key topics/themes of ARD (i.e. Regional Priorities): This portal facilitates access to websites on various topics related to agricultural research. 6.3 Intelligent Gateway or Portal Facility: A pilot project will be developed with CABI in 2002 to develop an Intelligent Gateway or Portal Facility to information resources in the web that will provide a very important additional service: screening of information in order to provide quality control of information retrieval from the web, and thus to facilitate coping with the information glut that 3

4 the great expansion of the web has generated. In the meeting this week in Bangkok (November 12-13, 2001) a proposal was presented by CABI for the implementation of this initiative. This proposal has two practical components: the first one refers to the improvement of the computer infrastructure (servers) that APARIS is presently using to be able to implement this portal function (purchase of additional hardware and software). The second one has to do with the actual work itself, covering the salaries of the persons that will do the work. With respect to the first component it will have to be determined if the additional hardware is really required, or if the same server capacity can be obtained through other means, thus reducing the costs of the proposal. Once the final version of the proposal is agreed to, it will then depend on the possibility of obtaining funding for this proposal from the CABI Partnership Programme and from other interested donors. Another important operational question is emerging here that relates to the scope of this portal, which might be better analyzed at the inter-rais level in the workshop the GFAR Secretariat is organizing in Is this portal aimed at facilitating access to web based information generated by research institutions and stakeholders in the region, as it is the case with the work being done in the previous points (5.1, 5.2 and 5.3), or will it be oriented to facilitate access to information resources in the web globally? If the first option is the case this is certainly an APARIS function. If it is the second option, it will be important to determine which should be the best location for this initiative. It could be that such a portal facility should be made available to users everywhere in the developing world or even globally, and thus it might be better to develop it as a joint operation to be carried out in cooperation with the other RAIS, and it might be better to locate this facility at the EGFAR level, to be used by users in all the RAIS. The search engine that will be developed can be located in the web sites of all the RAIS (including obviously the APARIS web site), but it might be useful to develop this initiative as an inter-rais initiative, with a global scope (for end-users everywhere) and not only a regional one. It was agreed that this question would be further discussed between APAARI, the GFAR Secretariat, CABI and FAO/WAICENT. 6. Strengthen Knowledge Networks on ARD in the APAARI region: phases are being envisaged: 6.1 Facilitating access to the information resources of Regional Research Networks (RRNs): In collaboration with the consortium of institutions that participate in the RRNs identified in the RRN Database (see 1.1 above), information will be provided on what data/information is available in the research organizations that constitute each RRN (i.e. NACA, APAFRI, INGER, Rice-Wheat Consortium, etc.). 6.2 Pilot Project on the Development of Knowledge Networks in specific areas of ARD: A pilot project has been formulated that is aimed at supporting a few cases of the development of knowledge networks among researchers in specific fields of research. Funding is being sought for this pilot project. 7. Dissemination of Information Through Publications and through the APAARI web site: The objective of this component of APARIS is to: (a) facilitate dissemination of the results of APAARI activities through the APAARI web site, through publications and through CD-ROMs, and (b) facilitate access to other 4

5 relevant publications related to ARD in the region. This is an important activity that has been integrated into the Regional Strategy to implement the APAARI 2025 Vision. The following activities are being developed: 7.1 Provide general information on APAARI (nature, objectives, mandate, members, activities, etc.). This is being done in a special section that was established in the APAARI web site ( About APAARI ), from where all the important documents of APAARI can be downloaded (mission statement, Vision 2025, constitution, members, etc.). 7.2 APAARI Publications and CD-ROMs: In the recent Bangkok meeting on Regional Priority Setting (November 2001) a CD-ROM with 17 Success Stories was released. 7.3 Access to other ARD publications: Access to interesting and relevant papers and publications on agricultural research for development topics that are produced by other partners (i.e. the CGIAR, development agencies, etc.) are also being placed at the APAARI web site. Major considerations to be discussed in the 2 nd APARIS meeting 1) Involvement of NARS in the creating/updating of ARD Projects Database (Refer to 1.4 in the first part above) 2) Role of NINPs in the development of Database on Agricultural Research and Development Indicators (Refer to 1.6 above) IFPRI and ISNAR have funds available for the data analysis phase of this project, but data collection will rely to a large extent on the efforts that can be made by the main institutions of the NARS that will be asked to provide the data through this survey. Thus, to a large extent, the costs of this endeavor will be covered by the APAARI members (the NARS) that will be responsible for the collection of the data, or that will provide data that they already have available. The NINPs can be facilitators in contacting with the relevant service/office in each NARS in order to provide relevant information (i.e. Planning and Evaluation Departments, Statistics Offices, Ministries of Agriculture, etc.). Once collected, this data will also become one of the APAARI regional data bases, in cooperation with ISNAR and IFPRI, that will be maintained updated in the future with the cooperation of the participating NARS. A web site on this project has been established by ISNAR and IFPRI, and a link to it will also be established from the APAARI web site, especially to the Asia/Pacific data. 3) Information on ICM Training Activities in the region & Capacity Building to NINPs To be considered: What channels to gain this information? Shall APAARI research for information and update by ourselves or ask for information from those who are the organizers? 5

6 There are training workshops and short courses that are organized by FAO/WAICENT, by CABI, by AIT, by UNESCO and by other relevant organizations. Information on graduate training programmes in ICM provided by universities in the region will also be included in this database. To be considered: Should APAARI Secretariat explore with interested stakeholders and donors the possibility of organizing Training Workshops and Short Courses on ICM-related topics? One possibility is that training activities could be carried out in close collaboration with FAO/WAICENT. 4) Information should be obtained from NINPs regarding access to Information Resources in relation to ARD Regional Priority (as outlined in the Expert Consultation on ARD Priority in Bangkok, Thailand Nov 2001) to develop Portal to the Websites of NARS Institutions in the Asia/Pacific region The next step in the implementation of this component that is currently under discussion with NINPs is to facilitate access to information resources in the region that are related to the main regional priorities that have emerged from the regional priority-setting process currently underway. A practical approach to this may consist of providing a link to the web-based information resources of NARS related to the regional priorities that have been identified. An interesting example that can be mentioned is that of tropical fruits as one of the main commodity chains identified as being of high priority to the region. On this specific topic, a link can be established with the Mango Network Information Service of PCARRD in the Philippines. This is only an example of the type of information resources that exist in NARS related to the themes of the APAARI regional priorities. In order to operationalize this component, the APARIS Support Unit will ask the NINPs to send information on webenabled information resources or services they have, that are related to the regional priorities that have recently been identified. 5) Facilitate Access to Scientific Publications generated by Agricultural Research in the Region: To work with FAO/AGRIS : The first suggestion is to work closely with FAO/AGRIS in seeing how to develop this component of the APARIS System in coordination with them. To collaborate with GFAR : The GFAR Secretariat can facilitate the exchange of experiences with other regions, where interesting regional initiatives are being developed on this issue of access to bibliographical information on agricultural topics. An example of this is the SIDALC experience in the FORAGRO region (LAC), where a Regional Network of Agricultural Libraries has been established (most of them located in NARIs or in other major agricultural research institutions in the region) under the leadership of one of them, and where there is a regional search 6

7 engine (AGRO-2000) that can search the library holdings of all of them on any particular topic a researcher or other end-user is interested in. This search engine makes possible a virtual regional library on the various development issues and topics of high priority to the region, such as the regional and sub-regional priorities that have been identified by the regional research priority-setting process that was analyzed in the APAARI Expert Meeting that took place in Bangkok in November A related topic is that of promoting web publishing in order to facilitate on-line access to documents through the web, and not just bibliographical searches. This topic of the development of regional networks of agricultural libraries can be one of the topics that could be covered in the Inter-RAIS Workshop that the GFAR Secretariat is organizing for 2002, with the support that is being requested from the EC for this purpose. Besides the SIDALC experience mentioned above, the EIARD InfoSys experience is equally relevant and could be very useful for the development of this component of the RAIS in all RF/SRFs. 6) Consideration in organizing Specialized Thematic Electronic Fora will be facilitated by APARIS in the future, on topics of common concern to the NARS of the region. Shall APAARI facilitate the discussion by us or use expertise of thematic organization(s) to be facilitator(s)? 7) Shall APAARI continue working with CABI in the development of Intelligent Gateway or Portal Facility? Or Shall it be the development as a joint operation to be carried out in cooperation with the other RAIS? (Refer to 5.4 above) 8) Shall GFAR Secretariat provide support? (Refer to 6.1 above) The GFAR Secretariat will provide support to the exchange of information and of experiences with other RAIS on this aspect, in order to profit from the approaches and the tools that have already been developed in other regions, both in the North and in the South (i.e. CIHEAM, ASARECA, etc.). CIHEAM, for example, has developed a format or questionnaire to systematically collect information on the current status of the databases and information resources that regional research networks (RRNs) have, as a way of systematizing and strengthening them in terms of specialized information systems and of knowledge networks in their own specific topics (i.e. genetic resources, rice-wheat production systems, water management, etc.). In some cases these research networks (or components of them) could evolve in the direction of Expert Systems, if they develop the capacity to respond to specific demands and questions from concrete end-users for the generation and/or application of knowledge to the solution of specific problems. This would have to be determined on a case-by-case basis. 7

8 9) What will be source of funding for the Pilot Project on the Development of Knowledge Networks in specific areas of ARD? (Refer to 6.2 above) 8