|
Sustaining
the Wellspring of CGIAR Innovation: Information Technology
and Knowledge Management Pave the Way
CGIAR's Information and Communication Technology-Knowledge
Management (ICT-KM) program received a major boost with
a $5 million investment plan from the World Bank. The
funds will go toward strengthening ICT-KM practices
and tools to significantly improve the way CGIAR Centers
share knowledge, link with partners, and deliver agricultural
public goods to benefit the world's poor people.
The investment plan calls for supporting 15 projects
grouped into three main thrusts: ICT for Tomorrow's
Science, Content for Development, and A CGIAR Without
Boundaries.
"The ongoing reforms are bearing fruit and changing
the CGIAR system," said Kevin Cleaver, World Bank's
Director for Agriculture and Rural Development and CGIAR
Cosponsor. "By supporting the ICT-KM plan we hope to ensure that the best tools to
share knowledge are brought to bear on the urgent task
of reaching the rural poor and tackling persistent rural
poverty."
Funding for the projects will help to:
Improve how the CGIAR communicates and uses data by
implementing a high-performance ICT infrastructure both
system-wide and in support of specific scientific communities
of practice
Promote the creation and sharing of knowledge by providing
easy access to integrated information and data in the
forms users need
Nurture a collaborative culture, via new techniques
and knowledge management approaches, thus improving
the effectiveness of cooperative global agricultural
research.
"This new phase should transform the capabilities
of the CGIAR Centers by incorporating new technologies
and approaches in all facets of our work in support
of the CGIAR's mission" said Kanayo Nwanze, Chairman,
CGIAR Center Director's Committee (CDC).
CGIAR's ICT-KM strategy has been reviewed extensively
and passed the litmus test of relevance. An external
panel reviewing the investment plan concluded that "The
strategic ICT-KM process being undertaken by the CGIAR,
driven by its Chief Information Officer, shows that
the organization is a pioneer in this area."
Commenting on the critical need to strengthen ICT-KM
activities, Enrica Porcari, CGIAR Chief Information
Officer emphasized that "Above all, the investment
plan focuses on improving innovation, responsiveness
and
productivity by creating a CGIAR without boundaries,
an internationally distributed, unified and open,
knowledge organization."
"The funding now available from the World Bank
presents an excellent opportunity to implement a series
of projects that we believe will make a significant
difference for our research agenda and the vitality
of the CGIAR as a whole." said Frank Rijsberman,
Director General, IWMI, and Chairman of the CGIAR ICT-KM
Sub-Committee.
With funding for the 2004 Investment Plan approved by
the World Bank, the projects are slated to commence
in March 2004.
|
