Database Management Tools
Available from FAO: the
Agricultural Information
Management Standards (AIMS)
Web Site
Mila M. Ramos
Chief Librarian, IRRI
Paper Presented at the Seminar-Workshop on Enhancing the Capacity of Information Professionals for
Effective Agricultural Information Management, Sharing and Dissemination,
Benguet State University, La Trinidad, February 21-22, 2008 and Silliman University, May 22-23, 2008
Overview
• Databases and their functions
• Requirements of an effective
database
• Standards: Why do we need them
• Tools available at the FAO
Agricultural Information Management
Services web site
• Conclusion
What is a database?
A database is a collection of information
that is organized so that it can easily be
accessed, managed, and updated. In
one view, databases can be classified
according to types of content:
bibliographic, full-text, numeric, and
images.
Source:
http://searchsqlserver.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid87_gci211895,00
.html
Requirements of an Effective
Database
• A good database management system
(DBMS) or software with a user-friendly
interface
• Relevant and up-to-date content
• Efficient Maintenance
• Skilled database management staff
• Interoperability
Why the need for standards?
Standards serve as:
• a model for creating practical
systems
• a set of rules for structuring
information
• an assurance of the protection of the
“long term” value of data
• a basis for sharing information
More Uses for Standards
• facilitator of information storage
and retrieval
• tool for simplification of training
staff in data encoding
FAO’s Agricultural Information
Management Standards Web
Site (AIMS)
• URL:
http://www.fao.org/aims/index.jsp
• A Centre for Agricultural Information
Management Standards that will
allow the sharing, and promote the
uptake, of common methodologies,
standards and applications.
Objectives of the FAO AIMS
• to facilitate collaboration, partnership and
networking among partners by promoting
information exchange and knowledge
sharing;
• to harmonize the decentralized efforts
currently taking place in the development of
methodologies, standards and applications
for management of agricultural information
systems;
• to encourage the re-use of these standards
to facilitate interoperability between
information systems,
More Objectives of the FAO
AIMS
• increase awareness of these freely
available resources,
• promote the sharing of good practice
examples, and
• provide channels for communication
between different actors in the
community.
Conclusion
• Dealing with digital information objects
require skills and tools not previously
needed in a manual environment
• FAO’s Center for Agricultural Information
Management Standards (AIMS) is there for
information providers to explore and
utilize
• Standards are vital for interoperability and
for sustainability
Challenges
• The responsibility for creating databases as a
means to link scientists with information lies on
the shoulders of information managers
• The task does not end with creation. Efficient
maintenance and use of standard tools are
necessary (e.g. FAO AIMS tools)
• Databases need to be marketed and used by our
clients
• Sharing our database with other agricultural
institutions is a must (AGRIS and PhilAgriNet
input) as this will create better awareness of our
organization’s intellectual output.
Final Words
In the information world, the need to share
and receive information is vital, hence the
right vehicles (standards/tools)
should be utilized and we should make the
most out of freely available resources.
Thank you.