IICD supported project: Ghana Agricultural Information Network System (GAINS)

Countries: Ghana [GH]
Sectors: livelihoods

Summary

GAINS is a Coordinating Centre, based at the Institute for Scientific and Technological Information (INSTI) in Accra. This Centre acts as the referral centre for information requests on agriculture and allied disciplines and also coordinates activities of fifteen libraries and information centres of agriculture-related research institutes and faculties of agriculture of the universities in Ghana with the objective of providing effective and efficient information delivery to users. This project aims to improve the information and advice provided to the beneficiaries by empowering the end-users to access, share, and publish agricultural research information.

Update

Updated: 2008-06-03

The first phase of the programme aimed mainly to strengthen the existing coordination centre with respect to its ICT infrastructure and communication media. This project comprised of four components: 

• The first component was back-office improvement whereby all 10 workstations were connected to the server and printing facilities. An email facility was set-up using external email hosting.
•  The second component was the web platform development. A website was created for GAINS incorporating the existing WIN-ISIS databases of GAINS. These databases are published, using the UNESCO Web publishing tools, on the Internet. All basic 'corporate' information relating to GAINS was compiled which was used as the first content for the website. Moreover, other relevant information was collected from partners and researchers and published online.
• In order for staff of GAINS to be able to effectively use and maintain the ICT infrastructures, staff was trained, which was the third component of this project.
• The last component ran parallel to all other components and was framed as multi-stakeholder process strategy development. This process was directed towards engaging clients and partners in defining a strategy for information collaboration and development. This process included interviews, research and multi-stakeholder workshops. Herwith the focus was on the service strategy for GAINS and also on viability and sustainability of the investment that the sponsors of the project (IICD) made. 

From November 2007 the project is mainstreamed into the general activities of the institutions. For the latest updates and a detailed overview of activities, check www.gains.org.gh.

Introduction

The development objective of this project was to improve the information and advice provided to the beneficiaries. This was achieved by empowering the end-users to access, share, and publish agricultural research information.

The Institute for Scientific and Technological Information (INSTI), which is one of the 13 research institutes of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), is responsible for managing the GAINS programme through its Library and Documentation Division. Under the programme, the proposed project will be the fourth major project that the project team will be managing.

GAINS is a Coordinating Centre, based at the Institute for Scientific and Technological Information (INSTI) in Accra. The Coordinating Centre acts as the referral centre for information requests on agriculture and allied disciplines and also coordinates activities of fifteen (15) libraries and information centres of agriculture-related research institutes and faculties of agriculture of the universities in Ghana with the objective of providing effective and efficient information delivery to users.

Objectives

The main objective of GAINS is to establish a coordinated system under the leadership of CSIR-INSTI to identify, collect, process, and disseminate agricultural information generated in Ghana or elsewhere in whatever format to support agricultural research and ultimately increase agricultural production to the economic and social benefits of the country.

The project is continuing independently. The intended objectives are described under results.

Development Impacts

The project improved the information and advice provided to the beneficiaries. This was achieved by empowering the end-users to access, share, and publish agricultural research information. This also supports the sector policy as CSIR-INSTI operates within the broad framework of the overall CSIR corporate objective, which, among others seeks to co-ordinate all aspects of scientific research in the country. The end-users of GAINS include, but are not limited to:

• The scientists of CSIR. CSIR operates 13 research institutes, most of which are in the field of agriculture. The institutes are spread over the country and the 400 research scientists are potential clients of the GAINS services.
• Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) extension services. Extension workers are active at the district and at local level directly with farmers. These extension workers (several hundred) could be clients provided the information is in an understandable language. At the moment local level extension workers will, however, not be connected to the web.
• Local NGOs working in the field of agricultural development.
• Regional and international agricultural research organisations could exchange databases and communicate through the web.
• FAO and other international organisations could provide databases The ultimate beneficiaries, served by GAINS’ end-users include, but are not limited to, farmers, producers and consumers.

The end-users of GAINS include, but are not limited to:

• The scientists of CSIR. CSIR operates 13 research institutes, most of which are in the field of agriculture. The institutes are spread over the country and the 400 research scientists are potential clients of the GAINS services.
• Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) extension services. Extension workers are active at the district and at local level directly with farmers. These extension workers (several hundred) could be clients provided the information is in an understandable language. At the moment local level extension workers will, however, not be connected to the web.
• Local NGOs working in the field of agricultural development.
• Regional and international agricultural research organisations could exchange databases and communicate through the web.
• FAO and other international organisations could provide databases The ultimate beneficiaries, served by GAINS’ end-users include, but are not limited to, farmers, producers and consumers.

Results

The first phase of the programme - aimed mainly to strengthen the existing coordination centre with respect to its ICT infrastructure and communication media - is well on its way to completion. Results from the project to date include, but are not limited to:

• Back office solutions deployed for GAINS;
• Website established (www.gains.org.gh);
• On-line databases up and running, including : Agriex, Ghasab and Ghagri;
• Capacity development: Staff training – started and on-going; researchers/scientist training – started and on-going;
• Stakeholders workshop (July 2003).

Budget

Euro 95,000.00

Project Owner : INSTI-Ghana Agricultural Information Network System (GAINS), Accra, Ghana; Project Manager, Joel Sam (jsam@workmail.com) INSTI-CSIR web site: www.csir.org.gh Project URL: www.gains.org.gh

Project Partners : The Institute for Scientific and Technological Information (INSTI) collaborates with the other 12 research institutes of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Another partner is the Dutch Royal Tropical Institute (KIT).

Project Contact : IICD