Knowledge management

Communication between farmers, researchers and policy makers is essential to enable them to make informed decisions about their crops, to learn and develop effective policy. We are experts in managing knowledge through systematically creating, capturing, repurposing, organizing, storing and communicating agricultural information. By doing this, we meet the needs of smallholder farmers, extensionists, researchers, institutions, policy makers and governments.

As an organization, we have developed these skills over a century of providing access to the world’s agricultural research (including our own) and understanding how to communicate it. We have a global reach and are recognized as a leader in our fields; primarily agricultural and environmental sciences, but also in public health.

Our ability to combine up-to-the-minute knowledge of digital information management and dissemination techniques with an understanding of stakeholders’ needs, to find the most appropriate solution, really sets us apart.

Take a look at a locally produced video that talks about our exciting ICT project in the Punjab. The project identifies appropriate communications technologies, specifically the use of mobile phones, to deliver agriculture extension information to smallholder farmers, and also determines the specific knowledge requirements of the farmers.

Why manage knowledge?
 

Where the results of successful research have been widely disseminated, the work of a small team of researchers can raise the productivity and income of millions of farmers.

Access to research information has been identified as a key constraint to economic development for the world’s poorest countries. But it’s not just about access; good management of knowledge is about communication and its use.

Knowledge Management and your organisation
 

We work closely with users to identify their knowledge management needs and the appropriate communication channels that will ensure optimum reach and impact.

As a policy maker, member of an institution, researcher, extensionist or farmer (each linked see below), it can be a challenge to get the information you need, when you need it. That’s where we come in.

We offer a range of services that can help your organization, including:
 

• systematic reviews of the relevant research and information
• enabling the world’s scientists to debate issues online
• capturing agricultural knowledge for future development and research
• using mobile technology to support agriculture
• developing partnerships to create problem-solving encyclopaedic tools
• managing, accessing and disseminating your organization’s information
• reviewing content to assess development and research project investments

Why us?

Managing knowledge is part of what we do. We have over 100 years’ experience of providing information and doing research. We keep abreast of the latest developments in web technologies and web searching to make our information quick and easy to access. All the information that we manage has a full metadata record, using Dublin Core principles and a controlled vocabulary. In addition, we are embracing open access policies for our publicly funded research.

We have an extensive member country network providing us with unique connections to science and policy–level decision makers worldwide, as well as links to a range of national and regional networks.

We are also active in the development of international standards for information management and we were a founding supporter of the coherence in Information for Agricultural Research for Development (CIARD) initiative www.ciard.net

Browse projects CABI's Knowledge Management division is currently involved in, to help improve developing countries' access to key information >>