PRAIS Programme for Agricultural Information Services

Background

The Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation (CTA) was established in 1983 under the Lomè Convention between the African, Carribbean and Pacific (ACP) States and the European Union Member States. In 1985 a Question and Answer Service (QAS) was established to provide information and documentation to ACP partners to improve access to information for agricultural and rural development, and to strengthen the capacity of ACP countries to produce, acquire, exchange and utilize information in these areas.

In March 1997, CTA carried out a feasibility study of the QAS devolution involving the key information sources and services in South Africa: the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), the National Department of Agriculture, the University of the Free State, and SABINET Online.

The UFS was chosen as the centre to coordinate the QAS in Southern Africa. The acronym PRAIS (Programme for Agricultural Information Services) was chosen.

Purpose

PRAIS' purpose is to develop regional mechanisms to provide the SADC Agricultural Systems stakeholders with information services on demand, on the following priority information themes:

• Conquering Markets : Promotion of Market-Led Developments
• Production Intensification and Optimization
• Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Management
• Strengthening National Agricultural Systems (NAS)
• Mobilisation of the Civil Society
  

The service provides to the following National Agricultural Systems stakeholders:

• Governmental organisations (including research, extension services and training institutions)
• Non-governmental organisations in the agriculture and rural development sector
• Agricultural production bodies (farmers' groups, associations and co-operatives; farm input and machinery suppliers and local authorities)
• Trade and Commercial bodies (local entrepreneurs and agro-industries; packaging / storage and transport agencies; chambers of commerce and trade federations)
  

These target groups are from the following ACP countries:

Angola
Botswana
Lesotho
Malawi
Mozambique
Namibia
Zimbabwe
Swaziland
Zambia
South Africa

Information Service

In addition, PRAIS started a database (SADC Agribase) of regional information sources which is freely available and searchable on the University of the Free State's Internet homepage (http://www.uovs.ac.za) where a search request form is available for clients' convenience.

Requests for scientific and technical information are answered using the supplier's access to a large variety of CD-ROM, the Internet and other online databases. Through selective dissemination of information (SDI), users are provided with current awareness bibliographies in their respective fields of interest.

Requests are indexed in a database to provide a question and answer service. Selective lists of institutions, organizations and experts with addresses are provided. Technical or scientific analysis, interpretation and validation where applicable are supplied.

PRAIS welcomes requests for information forwarded by means of mail, phone, e-mail or fax and will undertake to search relevant electronic and computerised databases on CD-ROM and on the Internet. Information will be sent in the form of full text articles and lists of further references. Addresses of institutions and individuals able to furnish advice will also be supplied.

Contact PRAIS at

Telephone: 27-51-401-2739
Fax: 27-51-444-6343
E-mail ernene.bib@ufs.ac.za or agric.bib@ufs.ac.za
Address: P.O. Box 301
BLOEMFONTEIN
9300
SOUTH AFRICA

AGRI-OUTREACH: Bi-Monthly Newsletter of PRAIS: Programme for Agricultural Information Services

A bi-monthly newsletter, AGRI-OUTREACH: Bi-Monthly Newsletter of PRAIS, provide feedback and other news to users. The newsletter concentrates on supplying agricultural and rural development information for everyday farmers. The contents include small-scale agricultural production information, general knowledge information, as well as expert information about departments and study opportunities in the University of the Free State's Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Faculty.

MORE ABOUT THE PARTNERS:

The University of the Free State

The University of the Free State (UFS) is one of the major research universities in South Africa with a modern library service. The library service has a comprehensive collection consisting of 500 000 books and 3 000 periodical subscriptions. The UFS has already taken steps to establish a virtual library for its own students and faculty.

The UFS Library and Information Services has access to a variety of national and international databases. The library also generates information in the form of databases of newspaper cuttings, pamphlets, unpublished documents as well as journals not indexed commercially.

The Faculty of Agriculture of the UFS consists of 13 departments, doing research and development work of a very high standard. The expertise of its researchers is available for the project.

ADDRESS: PO BOX 301
Bloemfontein, 9300
South Africa
Tel. +27 (0) 51 401 2739
Fax +27 (0) 51 444 6343
E-mail ernene.bib@ufs.ac.za

Agricultural Research Council

The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) is a statutory body established under the Agricultural Research Act of 1990 (Act No. 86 of 1990) of South Africa. The ARC is committed to the promotion of agriculture and related sectors through research, technology development and technology transfer directed at the optimisation of the role of agriculture in the national growth and development of the Republic of South Africa.

ARC-LIS

Twelve ARC-Libraries form the ARC-Library Information Service (ARC-LIS).

ARC-LIS

provides an in-depth coverage of specific subject areas to the agricultural sciences and technology

explores and implements means for cooperation with other libraries on a national and international basis

refers you to expertise in the ARC and organisations who can provide additional information

Subject coverage:

Agrimetrics, Analytical Services, Soil science, Agrometeorology, Agricultural Engineering, Food, Fibre and Fodder Crops, Tobacco and Ornamental Plants, Animal Sciences and Animal Products, Plant Protection, Remote Sensing, Veterinary Sciences Viticulture and Oenology, Water utilisation, Small Scale and Developing Agriculture, etc.

For additional information on the ARC and the ARC-LIS, contact:

ARC-Head Office Library Information Service
P O 8783
Pretoria 0001
RSA
Tel: 27 (0)12 427 9700
Fax: 27 (0)12 43 5814
E-mail: lnrlct@lnr1.agric.za
Internet: http://www.arc.agric.za/

SABINET Online

SABINET Online is an expert system in facilitating electronic access to information - understanding and catering for the needs of serious information users over a broad spectrum of markets.

SABINET Online brings a total solution to clients’ information needs through the employment of strategic elements from our portfolio of services as well as technical and people skills.

Portfolio of services provided:

Information Access

Access to information, both local and international, is made available to clients by SABINET Online providing online access to numerous resources and databases. These databases cover virtually every subject and discipline.

Currently SABINET Online offers access to a combined total of more than 1000 world-class databases, with the facility to search for any topic that is required by a client.

Information Management

In order to manage information as a resource, SABINET Online offers a series of products and services that integrate, index and structure both internal and external information into a single platform, which is accessible via a common user interface.

Included in these services are data hosting, electronic publishing and data conversion services, as well as software for specific information management applications. Consulting in information management is also provided to clients.

Library Support

SABINET Online offers a host of products and services aimed at streamlining all aspects of library functions for greater productivity, efficiency and increased quality of service.

For additional information on SABINET Online and its services, contact:

SABINET Online
P O Box 9785
CENTURION
0046
RSA
Tel: +27 (0)12 663-4954
Fax: +27 (0)12 663-3543
e-mail: info@sabinet.co.za
www: http://www.sabinet.co.za/

HOW TO USE THE SERVICE:

Services are provided by trained information specialists. The services may be contacted in the following ways:

by telephone (27 (0) 51 401 2739)
by letter (Box 301, Bloemfontein, South Africa)
by fax (27 (0) 51 430 6976)
by e-mail (ernene.bib@ufs.ac.za)

THE FORMAT OF THE INFORMATION SUPPLIED:

bibliographical references
fulltext documents
factual or referral information will be supplied when applicable
(Information can be supplied by mail, fax or electronically)

With the support of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation, CTA