Friends:

The starter piece is a well-formulated one. It does a good job of classifying what is shareable in three neat categories.

In my limited experience in supporting knowledge management in international agricultural research for about a decade, I found that there were many well-meaning initiatives in data sharing that did not get far even after many years. My understanding is that experts concerned might have been looking for technology solutions to emerge from within the international agricultural research sector, and it is not likely to happen. New synergies and relationships with what I can call "non-traditional" partners, such as a host of research institutions in ICT sector in developed as well as developing countries will be necessary.

I would thus tend to look at sharing transactional information (involving individuals and groups) and "derivatives" such as expert directories, learning material repositories, extension-oriented pieces and research documents as priority areas where a new paradigm in sharing can emerge. I can think of some interesting ongoing initiatives from which useful insights can be derived for future action.

Balaji