Icar Plans Rs 200cr Spend On Farm Research
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) will spend Rs 200 crore for developing a nation-wide computer-linked network for sharing and disseminating information on farm research and related aspects.
All farm research and education centres in the country would be linked with each other as also with similar institutions abroad as part of the broad Agricultural Research Information System (Aris) being set up by the ICAR. Over 830 Aris cells are being developed for this purpose. These will be inter-linked with the help of computers, E-mail, modum and relevent database.
Disclosing this at a meeting of the Aris nodal officers here yesterday, ICAR director-general R S Paroda said this system will provide access to the latest information available with the institutes and libraries worldwide.
This programme will also lay the foundation for the distance education programme for the farmers through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (farm science centres).
Aaccording to ICAR deputy director-general A Alam, Aris will have four distinct infromation modules. These are: the agricultural research personnel information system (ARPIS); agricultural research financial information system (ARFIS); agricultural research library information system (ARLIS); and agricultural research management information system (ARMIS).
He said this would help bring in new information management to avoid duplication in research and extension and ensure better coordination.