Credit: CABI

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Project Overview

So, what’s the problem

Agricultural development projects generate huge amounts of data. Collecting, using, generating and storing data is costly and takes time. When data isn’t FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable), the effort of collecting data is often duplicated, or data is lost or overlooked, meaning its potential value can be lost.  

Many of the foundation’s data-rich projects cannot unlock the value of generated data because data cannot be found, accessed, integrated into other datasets or reused.  

However, the foundation is committed to changing this by encouraging open and interoperable data ecosystems. Such ecosystems include a strong data sharing culture, robust governance, policy, accountability, frameworks and protocols, risk protection (eg privacy and security), data management plans (eg registries and repositories), data sharing agreements and FAIR processes, supported by consistent identifications such as common metadata.  

Impact and change can be made through the application of practices, processes, tools and assistance services.  

Solutions, however, do not only mean developing a new platform or technology. CABI believes that understanding system challenges and addressing them with a systems-thinking and people-first approach (recognizing how interconnected we are and acting with empathy and innovation) and using effective processes, lead to more sustainable digital interventions for agriculture. 

What is this project doing?

In this project, CABI will address responsible FAIR data sharing and improved data management practices, and identify possible risks encountered during the development of interventions to achieve this. 

CABI’s approach will be divided into three workstreams:  

• Technical assistance and mentoring  

Focused on supporting Program Officers (POs), grantees and other stakeholders, and using a human-centered and design-thinking approach to introducing FAIR data practices.  

• Resource research and creation  

Focused on prioritizing evidence-based research, building relationships with international experts and commissioning and designing tools, resources and guidance aimed at overcoming challenges related to implementing FAIR principles.  

• Embedding resources  

Focused on preparation for mainstreaming tools and resources within the foundation through a defined product.   

Each of the pillars will be underpinned by partnership development (ensuring cohesion with the wider FAIR community) and monitoring and evaluation activities. 

Drawing from CABI’s experiences and project outputs from ‘Enabling data access to support innovation in decision agriculture: soil health, agronomy and fertilizer’, CABI’s vision is that FAIR processes and awareness increase the value of data generated in agricultural projects. Through an assisted, and then self-guided set of evidence-based, reusable and replicable FAIR tools, processes and resources, supported by advocacy around the benefits of responsible data-sharing, CABI can help build the groundwork for foundation stakeholders, including POs, to activate change. 

The FAIR Journal –  a bite-sized digital magazine-style resource curated by CABI, provides updates on EDA3 developments and other key insights, emerging knowledge, advocacy, and learning around the FAIR Principles.