about the Global Agricultural Research Archive (GARA)
This resource has been set up to digitally capture and create an agricultural knowledge archive on behalf of developing countries around the world. The aim of the project is to preserve, disseminate and apply this valuable material and the knowledge it contains, for the benefit of current researchers and generations to come. The archive will be centrally managed and maintained to enable preservation and disaster recovery and the long term protection of knowledge which might again become inaccessible.
why have we developed GARA?
Concern about food security and climate change is at an all time high and it is widely accepted that the most vulnerable communities in the tropical of the developing world will be hit hardest. There is much that we already know at local and national levels that could immediately improve yields and reduce losses if effectively dissimated and implemented. However, in developing countries, much of the information is not readily accessible in a format that allows it to be shared within countries, let alone across regions.
CABI is helping solve this problem by creating a network of agricultural information for the world's researchers to share through our GARA initiative.
for developing countries information this will mean
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improved information sharing across borders
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agricultural knowledge can become integrated into the burgeoning knowledge economy similarly to that of developed countries
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local knowledge will become preserved for future local use
In support of CIARD
CABI is a partner of CIARD (Coherance in Information for Agricultural Research for Development), an initiative working to make agricultural research information and knowledge truly accessible to all. Our GARA resource supports this through its mandate to make developing countries research open access to everyone.
benefits of accessing the GARA resource
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strengthen teaching and research
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strengthen extension services and the knowledge of farmers
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provide a higher profile of this knowledge to the global community
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bring prestige and recognition of expertise and contribution to the global knowledge base
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lead to better agricultural science based policies
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release the knowledge from the past
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provide baseline information on issues such as loss of biodiversity, climate change, food security, traditional food crops and indigenous breeds
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increase citation of researchers and academics based in developing countries
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reduce duplication of research effort
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impact positively on the whole national agricultural system and particularly on farmer livelihoods