1. Executive Summary A CGIAR vision for sharing global public goods and knowledge We see the CGIAR managing and sustaining the critical information systems it holds as Global Public Goods (GPGs), through integrated and collaborative approaches among CGIAR Centers and national, regional and international partners. We envisage a collaborative approach to maximizing the value and use of these GPGs, all in support of more effective action towards solving problems related to agricultural development, reducing poverty and alleviating hunger. A strategy for improving the quality and relevance of and access to CGIAR global public goods Access to accurate and timely information is essential in the global effort to fight hunger and poverty in the developing world. To support these efforts, the Future Harvest Centers have gathered a large amount of data, information and knowledge. Although much of this information exists as public goods held in trust by the CGIAR Centers, it is not well known - largely because it is not organized in a common way. The number and type of databases generated by the various scientific communities has expanded rapidly, but CGIAR partners and global research communities face difficulties accessing these resources. Such information and knowledge is referred to as Global Public Goods (GPGs). They extend from databases and raw scientific information coming out of research carried out by the CGIAR in collaboration with its partners, to spatial and graphic information, published research, gray literature and technical reports, and other information, tools and knowledge products. The strategy described in this document lays out an approach and concept for the CGIAR to provide its "information customers' worldwide with simple but enhanced access to the vast array of scientific data, information and knowledge (generated by its research centers working with their national research partners) in an easy, searchable and flexible way. The strategy will be put into action through specific activities and projects within five components: • A preparatory, intensive study of the needs of priority users • Integrated access to these global public goods • Networking and capacity building to ensure the best possible linkages between CGIAR, NARS and other partners for public goods generation and sharing • Value-added information products and services • Program management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation Through this strategy, the CGIAR Centers commit themselves to working together and with their partners to standardize their information sources further, provide online access to their metadata sources, support the establishment of a CGIAR information gateway that provides universal access to the CGIAR's Global Public Goods, and work with partners to expand the body and utility of GPGs. Following approval in principle to this strategy by the Alliance Executive, the specific activities and projects needed to bring the strategy to life will be developed through a collaborative process between CGIAR Centers and key external partners. The combined strategy and implementation plan will then be recommended to the Alliance Executive for a resource mobilization effort.

1. Executive Summary A CGIAR vision for sharing global public goods and knowledge We see the CGIAR managing and sustaining the critical information systems it holds as Global Public Goods (GPGs), through integrated and collaborative approaches among CGIAR Centers and national, regional and international partners. We envisage a collaborative approach to maximizing the value and use of these GPGs, all in support of more effective action towards solving problems related to agricultural development, reducing poverty and alleviating hunger. A strategy for improving the quality and relevance of and access to CGIAR global public goods Access to accurate and timely information is essential in the global effort to fight hunger and poverty in the developing world. To support these efforts, the Future Harvest Centers have gathered a large amount of data, information and knowledge. Although much of this information exists as public goods held in trust by the CGIAR Centers, it is not well known - largely because it is not organized in a common way. The number and type of databases generated by the various scientific communities has expanded rapidly, but CGIAR partners and global research communities face difficulties accessing these resources. Such information and knowledge is referred to as Global Public Goods (GPGs). They extend from databases and raw scientific information coming out of research carried out by the CGIAR in collaboration with its partners, to spatial and graphic information, published research, gray literature and technical reports, and other information, tools and knowledge products. The strategy described in this document lays out an approach and concept for the CGIAR to provide its "information customers' worldwide with simple but enhanced access to the vast array of scientific data, information and knowledge (generated by its research centers working with their national research partners) in an easy, searchable and flexible way. The strategy will be put into action through specific activities and projects within five components: • A preparatory, intensive study of the needs of priority users • Integrated access to these global public goods • Networking and capacity building to ensure the best possible linkages between CGIAR, NARS and other partners for public goods generation and sharing • Value-added information products and services • Program management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation Through this strategy, the CGIAR Centers commit themselves to working together and with their partners to standardize their information sources further, provide online access to their metadata sources, support the establishment of a CGIAR information gateway that provides universal access to the CGIAR's Global Public Goods, and work with partners to expand the body and utility of GPGs. Following approval in principle to this strategy by the Alliance Executive, the specific activities and projects needed to bring the strategy to life will be developed through a collaborative process between CGIAR Centers and key external partners. The combined strategy and implementation plan will then be recommended to the Alliance Executive for a resource mobilization effort.

Global Public Goods: From Data and Information to Food

Global Public Goods - current state of play, weaknesses and opportunities As summarized from the various discussions and consultations during 2005, Global Public Goods are defined as data, information, and value-added information and services based on data and information that are: • Searchable and located in repositories (electronic) • Globally available • Open and easily accessible to all • Demonstrably sustainable • Contributing substantially to the CGIAR mission GPGs traditionally share two other important characteristics: they are non-excludable and non-rival. That is to say, everyone can enjoy the benefits, and one person's use of a GPG does not prevent another from enjoying the same benefits. The CGIAR has recognized that access to GPGs is essential to support agricultural research and development. In recent years, the number and type of databases generated by CGIAR scientific communities in a variety of fields (forestry, livestock, fishery, crops, socio-economics, etc.) has expanded rapidly. Nonetheless, development partners and global research communities (including CGIAR staff themselves) have difficulties accessing these resources in a consolidated manner. Difficulties include: • A lack of awareness of CGIAR GPGs: Potential users within and outside the CGIAR are not familiar with many of the databases available. There is a need for a concerted effort to promote awareness of available GPGs. • The inability to cross-search CGIAR information "islands" at once: There is presently no mechanism through which a user can search all the information resources held by the CGIAR from a single point of entry. CGIAR Center scientists themselves have no simple way of identifying commonalities between their work and that of their colleagues in other Centers. • Inadequacy of data standardization within and between scientific communities: There is presently no commonly agreed set of standards for describing and searching scientific data held in various communities. There are no commonly agreed metadata standards that will allow the simplest cross-search across these information sources. • The duplication of efforts: There is increased risk of duplication of efforts while collecting, analyzing and processing scientific research data. It is becoming less and less uncommon for scientists from the same institution to collect similar types of data from the same locations without realizing the unnecessary duplication of effort. • Some of the information resides on individual scientist's computers and are not even accessible by scientists within the same Center. • The need to unify individual efforts and increase benefits from cross-sectoral alliances: There is an increased need from individual communities to benefit from scientific databases supported by others. Such cross-boundary alliances are now critical for enriching individual GPGs (e.g. linkages between water management databases and crop production GPGs, and common access to different poverty mapping and land use databases). • A return on investment from CGIAR scientific data resources that is well below its expected potential: As different communities at different locations are collecting similar datasets, there is a huge potential for integrating complementary datasets to form new GPGs, which have greater temporal and spatial coverage. As a concrete example, imagine a researcher or planner working for a national agricultural research system. To retrieve information from the CGIAR about a particular crop, the researcher needs to follow a tedious process to identify all relevant scientific databases and expertise through individual CGIAR websites, manually retrieve individual pieces of information and consolidate them. With the proliferation of potentially useful information, this process becomes increasingly complex, with many valuable information sources remaining undiscovered or not properly used. Publicly available search engines such as Google generate such large lists of potentially relevant information that the user often is overloaded. The discussions during the online consultation highlighted several issues concerning how best to respond to the difficulties identified above. These were in addition to the obvious need to initiate a systematic effort to allow, in effect, the collation of these various dispersed information sources into a consolidated view, and the need for more effective and efficient search facilities. These highlighted issues include: • The need to know what GPGs actually exist at any one time; • The importance of REALLY knowing who the priority users of these GPGs are (or could be) and what their needs are; • The need to recognize that the human element will always be present and necessary (in addition to better access) to these resources in order to maximize their value and use (to truly tap into "knowledge"); • All too often, lip service is paid to partners. But only when partners ARE treated as partners will full benefits be realized. It also was apparent from the discussions that many CGIAR Centers are producing innovative science-based information products and services that target decision makers, policymakers, NGOs and farming communities. This suggests that there are grades of "derived' public goods that can be created by the CGIAR - at the multi-Center, or System level - to drive impact and change. To summarize, there exists a strong need to: • Know what data and information resources exist • Know priority users and their needs • Provide easy unified access to both scientific data and textual information • Provide the option of searching in an integrated fashion, where appropriate, different data and information types • Ensure that data and information managed by partners and CGIAR Centers are more equally accessible • Develop services that add value to the basic data and information

Global Public Goods - current state of play, weaknesses and opportunities As summarized from the various discussions and consultations during 2005, Global Public Goods are defined as data, information, and value-added information and services based on data and information that are: • Searchable and located in repositories (electronic) • Globally available • Open and easily accessible to all • Demonstrably sustainable • Contributing substantially to the CGIAR mission GPGs traditionally share two other important characteristics: they are non-excludable and non-rival. That is to say, everyone can enjoy the benefits, and one person's use of a GPG does not prevent another from enjoying the same benefits. The CGIAR has recognized that access to GPGs is essential to support agricultural research and development. In recent years, the number and type of databases generated by CGIAR scientific communities in a variety of fields (forestry, livestock, fishery, crops, socio-economics, etc.) has expanded rapidly. Nonetheless, development partners and global research communities (including CGIAR staff themselves) have difficulties accessing these resources in a consolidated manner. Difficulties include: • A lack of awareness of CGIAR GPGs: Potential users within and outside the CGIAR are not familiar with many of the databases available. There is a need for a concerted effort to promote awareness of available GPGs. • The inability to cross-search CGIAR information "islands" at once: There is presently no mechanism through which a user can search all the information resources held by the CGIAR from a single point of entry. CGIAR Center scientists themselves have no simple way of identifying commonalities between their work and that of their colleagues in other Centers. • Inadequacy of data standardization within and between scientific communities: There is presently no commonly agreed set of standards for describing and searching scientific data held in various communities. There are no commonly agreed metadata standards that will allow the simplest cross-search across these information sources. • The duplication of efforts: There is increased risk of duplication of efforts while collecting, analyzing and processing scientific research data. It is becoming less and less uncommon for scientists from the same institution to collect similar types of data from the same locations without realizing the unnecessary duplication of effort. • Some of the information resides on individual scientist's computers and are not even accessible by scientists within the same Center. • The need to unify individual efforts and increase benefits from cross-sectoral alliances: There is an increased need from individual communities to benefit from scientific databases supported by others. Such cross-boundary alliances are now critical for enriching individual GPGs (e.g. linkages between water management databases and crop production GPGs, and common access to different poverty mapping and land use databases). • A return on investment from CGIAR scientific data resources that is well below its expected potential: As different communities at different locations are collecting similar datasets, there is a huge potential for integrating complementary datasets to form new GPGs, which have greater temporal and spatial coverage. As a concrete example, imagine a researcher or planner working for a national agricultural research system. To retrieve information from the CGIAR about a particular crop, the researcher needs to follow a tedious process to identify all relevant scientific databases and expertise through individual CGIAR websites, manually retrieve individual pieces of information and consolidate them. With the proliferation of potentially useful information, this process becomes increasingly complex, with many valuable information sources remaining undiscovered or not properly used. Publicly available search engines such as Google generate such large lists of potentially relevant information that the user often is overloaded. The discussions during the online consultation highlighted several issues concerning how best to respond to the difficulties identified above. These were in addition to the obvious need to initiate a systematic effort to allow, in effect, the collation of these various dispersed information sources into a consolidated view, and the need for more effective and efficient search facilities. These highlighted issues include: • The need to know what GPGs actually exist at any one time; • The importance of REALLY knowing who the priority users of these GPGs are (or could be) and what their needs are; • The need to recognize that the human element will always be present and necessary (in addition to better access) to these resources in order to maximize their value and use (to truly tap into "knowledge"); • All too often, lip service is paid to partners. But only when partners ARE treated as partners will full benefits be realized. It also was apparent from the discussions that many CGIAR Centers are producing innovative science-based information products and services that target decision makers, policymakers, NGOs and farming communities. This suggests that there are grades of "derived' public goods that can be created by the CGIAR - at the multi-Center, or System level - to drive impact and change. To summarize, there exists a strong need to: • Know what data and information resources exist • Know priority users and their needs • Provide easy unified access to both scientific data and textual information • Provide the option of searching in an integrated fashion, where appropriate, different data and information types • Ensure that data and information managed by partners and CGIAR Centers are more equally accessible • Develop services that add value to the basic data and information

OPENING ACCESS TO CGIAR RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE From Data, Information and Collaboration to Food Can opening access to CGIAR research have a positive influence on the lives of the poor in developing countries? Can improved access to and use of data, information and research outputs increase the value of these outputs? Is broader collaboration among all stakeholders from the design to the end product necessary to make a difference? The CGIAR's ICT-KM Program believes the answer to these three questions is yes and is trying to address them. Beginning in 2003, the CGIAR ICT-KM Program's Investment Plan addressed connectivity, content and work culture needs within the 15 CGIAR Centers. The idea was to start by getting the internal house in order before looking at ICT and KM issues involving the broader agricultural research community. In 2005, the Program organized an extensive two-week online consultation including over 200 participants from both within the CGIAR and national partner organizations to discuss the broader picture. This consultation provided the inputs to a new proposal/strategy entitled: "ICT-KM 2 - Global Public Goods (GPGs): From Data and Information to Food". To be launched in 2008, this new strategy proposed: • A preparatory, intensive study of the needs of priority users; • Integrated access to global public goods stewarded by the CGIAR (technical standards/portal work); • Networking and capacity building to ensure the best possible linkages between CGIAR, NARS and other partners for public goods generation and sharing; • Value-added information products and services; and • Monitoring and evaluation. The overall objective of the strategy is to make it easier for CGIAR staff, partners and potential partners to access, use and add value through collaboration to the research and scientific outputs of the CGIAR - and so to have a positive influence on the lives of the poor. A recurring theme of the on-line consultation was the need to better identify the primary users of information Global Public Goods (iGPGs), both current and potential, and their priority uses. Improving access to what data/information/knowledge for which users would make the biggest difference? What needs to be done to remove obstacles and empower users to add value? Increased understanding in this area will allow refinement of both the overall strategy and its constituent activities. From August to December 2007, a user needs study and consultation process involving e-conferences, workshops, interviews and online tools will be employed to finalize inputs to a CGIAR ICT-KM strategy that will inform the development of an investment plan in 2008. More specifically, the ICT-KM Program will be running a three-week online discussion from September 12 to October 3 to seek inputs on users needs and feedback on the proposed strategy. And, as part of a week-long series of meetings in Rome, entitled A global Perspective on E-Agriculture, the Program is organizing a half-day workshop to further work on the users study and the strategy If you have additional questions or comments, please contact us at [email protected]

Invitation to a Workshop on OPENING ACCESS TO CGIAR RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE From Data, Information and Collaboration to Food 0900 to 1230 hours Friday, 28 September 2007 FAO, Rome Philippines Room (C277/281) "If a tree grows in the laboratory, will the poor eat its fruit?" As part of the week-long series of events, "A Global Perspective on E-Agriculture", on Friday, 28 September, 0900-1200 hours, at FAO headquarters in Rome, you are invited to participate in a workshop on "Opening Access to CGIAR Research and Knowledge". The CGIAR's ICT-KM Program is seeking inputs on a strategy to open such access and more specifically on priority areas, users, needs, obstacles and methodologies. If you are interested in the opportunity to influence future directions, join us on 28 September; or, to find out more, contact Jenin Assaf ([email protected]). Seats are limited. We look forward to hearing your views! The ICT-KM Program of the CGIAR promotes and supports the use of information and communications technology (ICT) and knowledge management (KM) to improve the effectiveness of the CGIAR System's work on behalf of the poor in developing countries.

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