FAO online, knowledge management and more www.fao.org

KEY FACTS Fighting with knowledge n FAO’s main website and (www.fao.org) has more than FAO is a centre of excellence in the fields of , , and three million pages and was sustainable development. The Organization offers an unparalleled collection of online visited by over 42 million and information for use by member and other interested parties who users during 2010 alone. are striving to build societies free of hunger. FAO’s role is to facilitate member access to knowledge and expertise and foster knowledge sharing wherever possible. n The FAO website hosts some 300 and specialized information Online gateway to a world of data and analysis covering animal health, international statistics, water FAO and its member countries see FAO’s information resources to promote and agriculture, , information as a priority tool for achieving partnerships with other agricultural information profiles, emergency agricultural development and food networks, and assisting FAO members to security. In 1989, as part of its strategic prevention systems, plant build their own capacities in managing and effort to fight hunger with information, utilizing food and agricultural information. genetic resources and FAO established the World Agricultural satellite imagery. Information Centre, a corporate framework for the management and dissemination of n In October 2010, there were high-quality technical information. over 4.1 million visits to This structure included relevant and reliable statistics, texts, and multimedia www.fao.org (out of a total resources as well as tools for integrating of 102 million hits), up tenfold and harmonizing standards for the exchange since December 1999. of information. But the enormous advances in information technology since then have n There are almost 40 000 made the job of managing and disseminating

electronic documents available information in a digital environment Cendon ©FAO/Jose increasingly complex. Two tasks in particular The FAO website provides useful online through the Corporate have assumed greater importance: using knowledge around the globe. Document Repository; 4 759 new documents were added FAO website during 2010 alone. The FAO website is an entry point to specific information without the need to thousands of full-text publications and search individual databases and systems. technical documents in fields including: The portal’s knowledge base has since n agriculture, fisheries, nutrition grown extensively, incorporating further and ; country-based information, profiting from n codes of conduct, interactive tools, the promotion of international standards, the and early warning and disaster- development of a and prevention systems; overall stakeholder involvement. n country-specific information; In 2005, an Ask FAO feature was added n specialized data, including maps, charts to the FAO website and as 2010, more than and other multimedia resources. 8 300 questions had been received and Economists, and commodities experts, answered by FAO staff. FAO’s technical universities and institutes, chambers knowledge and content are also being of commerce and agriculture, agronomists, promoted through social media (Twitter, nutritionists, government planners, Flickr, Facebook and YouTube) along with development professionals and students sites such as Wikipedia and SlideShare. have all found the site to be an incomparable In 2008, the FAO home page and other resource. But there is more. top-level websites were redesigned and Since 2002, the FAO Country Profiles modernized. A Russian version of the home portal has offered decision-makers a fast page is now online and other sections of the and reliable way to access FAO’s country- site are being translated into Russian. E-agriculture and ICTs in rural areas Improving access to information The lack of access to modern communication Information and Communication Technologies technologies in many rural areas – the rural (ICTs) that specifically targets sustainable As a comprehensive source of information digital divide – in 2003 led FAO to launch a development in agriculture, forestry and on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, sustainable Bridging the Rural Digital Divide programme fisheries. In 2007, FAO launched a global rural development, , food and to help narrow the gap. community of practice on e-agriculture nutrition, the FAO website gives decision- In 2005, the World Summit on the (www.e-agriculture.org), which now comprises makers and professionals access to the Information Society assigned FAO the lead around 7 000 individual members from over accumulated knowledge and expertise of the role in e-agriculture, an emerging area of 150 countries. Organization. The website also informs the general public about key issues in agriculture. Fostering international partnerships Many specialized information systems are also available on CD-ROM. A customized Google search engine is available throughout the site. Another FAO priority is to extend its strengthen links between communities of global reach through the establishment practitioners, allowing individuals to gather of international partnerships. By creating and gain access to policy and technical synergies with its partners, the wealth of information, to share and exchange the FAO’s information can be better disseminated Organization’s knowledge. Regular training and made more effective. is provided to FAO staff on the importance In 2005, the FAO Thematic Knowledge of such communities and how they support Networks website was launched to FAO’s evolving role as a facilitator.

Knowledge management and sharing ©FAO/Giulio Napolitano ©FAO/Giulio The FAO Knowledge Strategy was approved n increasing the adoption of information and in March 2011 with two major objectives: knowledge-sharing concepts, methods Staff signing up for an FAO knowledge fair. n improving the balance between the and tools by FAO managers and teams production of information and knowledge through appropriate training, facilitation, and FAO’s efforts to facilitate access to team work, internal networking and the Setting standards for such information and knowledge through sharing of good practices. information exchange regular knowledge-sharing events such as thematic and regional share fairs and Effective information integration, retrieval and communities of practice. exchange require internationally agreed upon standards. For over 20 years, FAO has been a leader in setting standards in information FAO specialized information systems include: management in agricultural development and and is currently working n FAO statistical databases: http://faostat.fao.org with member countries and other partners to n Emergency Prevention for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases: further develop and disseminate them. http://www.fao.org/empres/ n Global Information and Early Warning System: www.fao.org/giews n Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping Systems: www.fivims.net n FAO Country Profiles Portal : www.fao.org/countryprofiles n International for the Agricultural Sciences and Technology: www.fao.org/agris/ n FAO Corporate Document Repository: www.fao.org/documents n Resource Kit of e-learning materials in various subject areas: www.imarkgroup.org

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