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Editorial

AARINENA 10th General Conference was held last June 2006 in Sana'a at the kind invitation of the Government of Yemen.
The conference elected a new executive committee and adopted the work plan for the next two years. An advocacy workshop
for National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) leaders and decision makers was held during the conference to raise
awareness and sensitization towards improving Information and Communication Management (ICM) and enabling the effective
use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The potential use of ICT for agricultural research for development
will be through managing, sharing and exchanging scientific and technical information related to agriculture at national, regional
and global levels.

The main challenge is in collation of agricultural information at national level and sharing it through digital and electronic
means in Arabic and English within the WANA region. The AARINENA-Regional Agricultural Information Systems (RAIS)
is an appropriate institutional mechanism for collaboration in information management, and can provide a platform for building
national and regional consortiums and networks that contribute to effective and efficient sharing of information. It can enable
sharing of research data, especially those related to production characteristics, genetic material, and natural resources. Such data is
increasingly needed for biotechnology, knowledge based systems and geographical information systems (GIS).

Collaboration between the NARS in GIS can contribute significantly to the use of natural resources and land planning.
AARINENA-RAIS can support development of mechanisms that assist sharing and exchanging of this data within the WANA
region, which can bring greater economics of scale in research and also contribute to exchanging technologies.
Although the region is a rich producer of marketable agricultural products, it lacks on-line agricultural market information systems.
It is important that the region develops, through public and private partnerships, market information systems that enable small
producers and entrepreneurs participate in national, regional and global agricultural markets. AARINENA-RAIS can promote the
development of market information systems.
There is a need to develop better infrastructure for communication within the NARS. This will improve governance in the NARS and
improving efficiency and effectiveness of the research processes and also in creating better research networks.
 

Executive Secretary