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The Consorcio Achira:
linking Latin America and the Caribbean
The Consorcio Americano de Capacitación y Herramientas para la Información Rural Agraria (Consorcio ACHIRA) is a vibrant network of universities and research centres spread throughout Latin America and the Caribbean that helps members exchange ideas, skills and technology related to information management in the agriculture and development fields.
From Rio de Janeiro to Caracas and Lima, Consorcio ACHIRA members trade information via regular email bulletins and by logging onto ACHIRA.net, the network's corporate website which provides up-to-the-minute news and events information from the region as well as access to an online chat room and downloadable presentations and software.
In addition to a dynamic net presence, Consorcio Achira also runs annual workshops to ensure that members can tap into the rich seam of expertise and resources that partner institutions and individuals can offer as well as receive training and capacity-building skills in all aspects of effective information management.
Consorcio Achira's strength is its unique ability to offer a regional perspective. The advice offered by Consorcio ACHIRA and its members is developed at a grass roots level and is specific to the Latin American and Caribbean region, allowing users to save valuable time and resources.
Following its foundation in 2000, the network is currently funded by its members and has no fixed secretariat. Achira.net is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome.
Principles:
1. Develop tools for the exchange of information
2. Improve capacity building among our members
3. Develop standards and methodologies for classification
4. Raise awareness of the potential of Information technology in the agricultural and development fields
Develop tools for the exchange of information
The News and events area of the achira.net website is the network's principal forum for information exchange. Operating as a regional news agency to publicize news and events in agriculture, forester, fisheries and development issues, the area is powered by the News and Events Management System (NEMS), a powerful web-publishing software which enables Consorcio Achira members to publish information online.
NEMS has been tailored to the needs of members so that current information on new publications, seminars, workshops and conferences in the region appear automatically on the achira.net homepage. NEMS enables all members to produce information in a sustainable way regulated by tried and tested standards and methodologies.
Improve capacity building among members
Spreading knowledge and facilitating best practices through capacity-building exercises, such as workshops, is one of Consorcio Achira's central priorities. Two workshops held in 2000 (link to documents/agenda of these workshops is available) enabled participants to learn more about successful information management and to share ideas and experiences. The development of successful teaching materials and a focus on actively training facilitators to go out into their communities and share knowledge is a defining theme of the workshops.
Develop standards and methodologies for classification
Consorcio ACHIRA has identified strong demand amongst its partners to develop standards and methodologies in the field of information management. While the region's institutions have well-established and open flows of communication, the rapid explosion in the availability of electronic information has meant that controlling, cataloguing and disseminating information is more complex. Coordinating and implementing standards and methodologies among achira members is an ongoing activity.
Raise awareness of the potential of Information technology in the agricultural and development fields
Many developing country governments remain unaware of the importance of good information management in the agriculture and development sectors. A lack of resources and/or political will in backing new initiatives in the field means that progress is slow and opportunities are not optimised. Consorcio ACHIRA seeks to offer policy advice on information management issues, pulling in expertise and experience from different countries within the region and around the world. In addition it tries to give long term support to new projects by working closely with its partners.
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