Sharing knowledge

Small budgets in developing countries like China mean that researchers can't always afford the journals and databases that their colleagues in many other countries take for granted, so access to knowledge is a major issue. The language barrier also means that a large amount of important and useful Chinese-developed research is never read outside of the region.

We're working to ensure that knowledge flows into China by organizing sponsorship and licensing arrangements and by forming consortia that bring together many research and educational centres so that they can buy in bulk and receive major discounts. In a recent project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), we worked together with Chinese partners to provide agricultural databases to more than 40 major Chinese agricultural and forestry research and training institutions. The sustainability of this project was achieved through bulk purchase by organized consortia. We have also given permission for 26 of our agricultural abstract journals to be reprinted in China so that they can be sold at prices that Chinese users can afford. The aim is to overcome the lack of funds that is crippling China's libraries. 

Ecosystem services and poverty alleviation (ESPA): China situational analysis Ecosystems provide numerous services, especially to the poor who rely on their services more so than any other group. The project provided a situation analysis and research strategy. The aim was to address the challenges of sustainable management of ecosystems, ultimately to maximise poverty alleviation. More >>

Feasibility study into developing rural knowledge services in western China Funded by the CABI Development Fund, in 2007 and 2008 we implemented two projects which looked into rural knowledge services facilitated by information and communication technologies (ICT) in China. We gained an in-depth understanding of the present situation of ICT adoption and farmers' specific information needs in typical areas of western China, especially in Ningxia. Ningxia has been designated as a demonstration province for agricultural information by the central Government due to its significant achievements in this field. We also gained invaluable knowledge of the UN's Technical Task Force (TTF) initiative and strategy in China. The actual impacts of the initiative on rural poverty reduction in Ningxia were impressive. With further support from the CABI Development Fund in 2009, we hope to integrate our efforts with those of other organizations in this field to facilitate rural knowledge services to help alleviate poverty in western China.