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What is CGIAR-CSI ?
The fifteen CGIAR International Research Centers
have pioneered the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
and Remote Sensing (RS) for sustainable agricultural development for
more than a decade. In May 1999, they formed the Consortium for Spatial
Information (CGIAR-CSI) which links the all of the CGIAR’s GIS/RS
laboratories, and the many geospatial scientists and researchers within
the CGIAR system, with scientists and institutions from around the world.
Together, these laboratories, scientists and researchers constitute
a formidable assemblage of technical ingenuity, scientific expertise,
and practical experience in spatial analysis.
They have already developed important collections
of data on population, poverty, climate, soils, crops, livestock, transportation,
and biodiversity and other geospatial Global Public Goods. The CGIAR-CSI
researchers are continuing to break new ground in the integration of
biophysical and socio-economic data to better target agricultural technologies
and resources to farmers’ needs, to assess global needs, develop
strategies to alleviate poverty, and to better adapt to a changing global
environment.
These powerful spatial technologies have become an integral part of
interdisciplinary research within the CGIAR. Through linking geo-referenced
data to digital maps, a whole new range of opportunities for integrating
and presenting diverse information has opened to a diverse set of users
to harness these technologies. Users can more readily see and understand
interrelationships between, for example, urban and rural areas, markets,
crop production, deforestation, and soil erosion.
They can develop more realistic models, and identify and monitor change
more accurately. Ultimately, the improved understanding of the landscape
strengthens strategies and activities in natural resource management,
agricultural development, land change analysis, biodiversity conservation,
and ecological studies.
The CSI facilitates and creates mechanisms for standardizing data sets
within the CGIAR, sharing methodologies and solutions, and promoting
inter-center collaborations. The Consortium also serves as a platform
for joint efforts in GIS-/RS–based agricultural research at global,
regional, and local levels.
Structure and Priorities of the CSI :
The CSI is a loosely structured consortium comprised of members which
include all of the sixteen CGIAR Centers, plus several Associate Members.
A coordinating center (currently IWMI) and a steering committee elected
by all the members, direct activities on a 2-year rotating basis. The
participating centers have identified six areas of high priority and
common interest to the CGIAR/GIS community. Tthese areas have seen substantial
progress, and are given below with their respective coordinating centers:
• Data Management and Coordination (IWMI)
• Geographic dimension of crop varieties (CIMMYT)
• Impact assessment (IFPRI)
• Natural resource degradation (ICARDA)
• Integration and training of national agriculture research
systems (CGIAR-CSI)
• Poverty mapping (CIAT)
This current ICT-KM project addresses the coordinated
management of geospatial data and spatial tools. This was deemed a high
priority area identified by the CSI steering committee, and highlighted
at the most recent plenary meeting. This has been identified as essential
to the effective dissemination of CG global public goods, and required
for effective multi-center collaboration and peer-to-peer data sharing.
For more information, please contact:
Dr.
Robert Zomer
CGIAR-CSI Global Coodinator
Email: csi@cgiar.org
