presented by Krishan BheenickSenior Programme Coordinator, Knowledge Management, CTA (EU-ACP)Second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD2). Uruguay, October 2012

Framework for Information and Data Sharing

Using information to power innovation

Innovation is knowledge-intensive and requires greater information sharing/exchange

Access to research outputs is essential to address problems

Effective access enhances information use, and enhances innovation within and among communities

Greater use of information will accelerate rural development

Knowledge Sharing in Agricultural Innovation

TRULY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL?

“Information and data power innovation, restricted access represents a barrier to innovation.”

Agricultural Research Outputs

Photo Credit: natura-medioambiental.com

Low investment in research communication- Many agricultural research organizations invest only a small

fraction on communicating their results and ensuring they are adapted to rural needs.

- Most organizations make <10% of their publications/ documents accessible on the Internet

- Information made accessible through journals - ‘paid access’

Communicating Agricultural Research

Often ‘public’ information is like this

We produce results, but what happens to them? It seems that much useful data and

information is not accessible and the farmers don’t seem to benefit

Other scientists will publish our results if we share them

Our organization has no policy on communicating its outputs

We have no systems and tools for Internet dissemination There are no staff

with skills in using digital technologies

We don’t have time to adapt our results into the form that extensionists want

There are no funds allocated to research communication

Communicating Agricultural ResearchFINDINGS OF GLOBAL SURVEY 2011

WHAT IS NEEDED

An integrated two-pronged approach of good policy and practice

Capacity development – a cornerstone

A collective effort - adopt proven practices and tools

A coordinated approach will reduce costs and guide, train and motivate staff in research

organizations to make the results of research more accessible and usable

Coherence in Information for Agricultural Research for Development

A Global Movement

COHERENCE IN PARTNERSHIP & ACTION

15 Founding Partners

And now +375 other organizations

A GLOBAL MOVEMENT

All working to ensure that information become more accessible to those who need them

CIARD was endorsed at GCARD 2010

2008 onwards: Meetings/events for partners, electronic discussions, development of CIARD products & initiatives

Advocacy, Advocacy, Advocacy !

A CONSULTATIVE PROCESS

2009: CIARD consultation in Africa at FARA – “…CIARD gives us a global framework for what we have been trying to do at individual

and institutional level; now I feel empowered to tell my Director …”

2011: A CIARD global consultation process on “Developing a framework for data and information sharing”

Shared, distributed coordination – subsidiarity

PRIORITY AREAS IDENTIFIED

To improve investment through introduction of sound policies and coordinated approaches

To develop institutional capacity through encouraging self-sufficiency and empowerment

To make data and information accessible by promoting open content and common standards

Other scientists will publish our results if we share them

Our institution has no policy on communicating its outputs

We have no systems and tools for Internet dissemination

There are no staff with the skills in

digital technologies

We don’t have time to adapt our results into the what extensionists want

CIARD Pathways describe

institutional policies

CIARD Fair provides

open source tools CIARD offers

free learning resources

CIARD Pathways

describe IPR policies

Support for overcoming the Challenges in Research Communication

Routemap to InformationNodes and Gateways

A Global Registry to share information related to agricultural research and innovation

600 open information services in agriculture

374 information providers have registered their services- 350 document repositories with around 6 million accessions - 900,000 full text documents- 250 other services registered

CIARD Ring provides a platform for the next generation of information discovery/access services from CIARD participating organisations

Global consultation in 2011

“Developing a Framework for Data and information sharing” Developed through e-consultation and workshop (Beijing)

CIARD core documents: Technical Issues Paper– Technical issues and technologies– Institutional and organizational aspects– Championing change in policy and practice– Strengthening the CIARD community and its role

8 Action Areas identified

THINK GLOBAL – ACT LOCAL

Technical issues and technologies

Explicit demand for advice: – When and how to use open or proprietary data

formats?– Whether to use Content Management Systems?– How to describe specific types of information?– When to use a traditional library system, an open-

archive repository or a tailor-made application?– How to use multimedia social reporting for effective

information sharing?Expectation: CIARD should not promote a uniform approach among all organizations, but should be able to detail options and provide guidance when needed

Technical issues and technologies

Action Area 1 - Services, Tools and Infrastructure • Establishment of a community Wiki on information

management tools and their evaluation• Contributions to the CIARD RING fostered to extend coverage• Guidance on new tools and technology (e.g. Cloud)

Action Area 2 - Standards and Systems Architecture • Collaborative Development of open standards• Advice on meta-data generation• Data and document formats• Automatic tagging or indexing services

Institutional aspects

Action Area 3 - Policies, Strategies and Institutional Structures • Promotion of CIARD Manifesto• Support to national initiatives on policies on access to public

goods• Support national initiatives on incentives and benefits of access• Embedding of policies in organizational systems and processesAction Area 4 - Development of Skills and Competencies • Assessment of training needs• Use of existing platforms (physical and virtual)• Links and coordination from local to global level

Institutional aspects

Action Area 5 - Appropriate Organizational Structures and Work Practices

• Investment in appropriate hardware and software• Improvements in practices for data and information sharing

within organizations• Development and adoption of norms, standards, rules and

regulatory mechanisms within organizations

Action Area 6 - Global Improvement of Data and Information Flows

• Adoption of Framework at institutional, national, regional levels• Approach is flexible and adaptable to the level of the institution

Championing change in policy and practice

Action Area 7 - Advocacy and Evidence • Convince Policy makers and research managers, information

specialists, users and generators of ARD information• Document initiatives and cost benefit analysis, and impact in

case studies• Develop and implement an advocacy programme, using

champions [see recently launched Advocacy Toolkit]• CIARD partners lead by example

Strengthening the CIARD Community and its role

Action Area 8 - Partnerships and Information Managers • CIARD as a multi-dimensional learning initiative• Sharing and discussing experiences and ideas among the CIARD

partners: from technologies and policies to case studies and success stories

• Establish a virtual platform for the community to promote peer learning

Resources to support action

Championing change in policy and practice: CIARD Advocacy Toolkit Collection of evidence, benefits and good practices (i.e.

CIARD Checklist)

Institutions/organizations: Guidelines (CIARD Pathways) ; E-learning programmes

Information Technologies: Open information standards ,tools and services; CIARD RING

Strengthening the CIARD Community: Physical and electronic interactions

We can build further on these achievements

The Way Forward

National organizations: - implement policies and practices on opening access to and

enhancing use of agricultural research information- create/strengthen research communication activities- register their open services in the CIARD.RINGRegional and International organizations:- achieve even stronger consensus and support for CIARD- develop regional partnerships and networks to leverage

resources and capacities in support of opening accessDonors providing research funds: - Support grantees in communicating their findings effectively

Framework for Information and Data Sharing

www.ciard.net

Using information to power innovation

GCARD2, Uruguay, October 2012