1. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org Agricultural Information: Roadsigns to the future Conference: Frontiers in Forest Information Oxford, 5-7 December 2005 Peter Ballantyne

2. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org Synopsis Challenges for agricultural information and knowledge managers [in developing countries] as they accelerate into the fast lane of the information super-highway With help from:

3. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org Policy Context: Aid Goals Millennium development goals [September 2000] –Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger –Achieve universal primary education –Promote gender equality and empower women –Reduce child mortality –Improve maternal health –Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases –Ensure environmental sustainability –Develop a global partnership for development

4. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org Policy Context: I4Development WSIS Declaration of principles (2003) –[we] declare our common desire and commitment to build a people-centred, inclusive and development- oriented Information Society, where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information and knowledge Agenda 21 chapter 40 (UNCED 1992) –In sustainable development, everyone is a user and provider of information

5. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org Cross-cutting trends Changing information demands –From ‘growers’ to ‘rural people’ and communities Diversifying information sources –From ministry extension and research to multi-source contacts, advisers and media Integrating information mechanisms –From single tools in parallel to integrated / inter-connected platforms E-science, e-learning, eXtension, e-tc

6. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org The Web Information explosion - more info than before Info-diversity – more, and more diverse, producers and sources Information scatter - across many sites Indexing nightmare - more miss than hit –How to get below the ‘surface’ Information myopia - most rely on few places

7. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org Harnessing the Web Mobilizing local/own content –‘being present’, ‘being found’, ‘getting around’ –beyond publishing - to utilization Seeking and discovering the ‘right stuff’ –beyond access - to utilization Exploiting new tools? The web ‘2.0’ –federated searching; ‘Googling’; Blogging; RSS; Wikis; Standards, … (s)low bandwidth?

8. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org ‘Open’ Movement Open source software Open access –OA Archives (and institutional repositories) –OA Publishing –Open Archive Initiative Open licensing (‘copyleft’, creative commons; science commons … ) Revolutions in access? Revolutions in publishing?

9. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org Knowledge Mgt/Sharing Tacit / explicit Local / global Connecting; collecting ‘Communities’ Relationships Partnerships and networking

10. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org Challenges, Opportunities Beyond getting and providing access? –Collectors and custodians -> connectors; enablers, facilitators, catalysts, conversationalists You’ll never walk alone –community, collaboration, partnerships Act local…. Connect global

11. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org …to be properly knowledgeable, the centres and the peripheries need to be in conversations with the other … Wendell Berry IAALD: convening and connecting

12. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org IAALD leading global community of practice for information specialists in food, agriculture and the environment mobilizing, accessing and applying information to achieve a more productive and sustainable use of the world’s land, water, and renewable natural resources.

13. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org IAALD connects agricultural information specialists worldwide, providing platforms and spaces for information dissemination, exchange and knowledge sharing; convenes agricultural information specialists worldwide, organising meetings and catalyzing dialogue among all agricultural information stakeholders; communicates and advocates the value of knowledge and information to its members and others, improving the status and practice of agricultural information management and dissemination; collaborates with members and other partner organisations, facilitating educational and other opportunities across agricultural information communities.

14. www.iaald.org info@iaald.org Thank You ! Also: