- CGVlibrary Lauded by Users
- Expert Systems to Reduce Crop Losses
- Behind the Scenes: Luz Marina Alvaré
- KM4DEV in Brighton
- Successful Conclusion of DVC Project
- Workshop with a Difference
Snippets
CIAT Gets Connected
CIAT has successfully tested a simultaneous videoconference over Internet2 (an advanced network for educational and
research purposes) with CIMMYT, CIP and IRRI. Although the quality of the audio and video was excellent, CIAT IT
Manager Carlos Meneses and his team will continue working with local and national routers to improve the connection
process. Look out for more updates on this!
Finding Meaning with CGXchange
According to usage statistics, about 450 CGIAR members of staff accessed the online version of the Oxford English
Dictionary (OEL) through CGXchange last month. The numbers have been growing in recent months.
CGXchange Collaboration Tool Attracting Attention
DGroups, one of the collaboration tools available through CGXchange, has attracted the interest of the German Ministry
for Economic Cooperation and Development. A DGroup space has been created for the Ministry to discuss the role of the
Internet in higher education, research, science and technological development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Experts
from/cooperating with African universities, research centers and government institutions, as well as African and
international organizations involved in any aspects of the topic, are welcome to participate.
Upcoming Events
IT Managers' Annual Meeting
On 4 September 2006, CGIAR IT Managers from around the globe will converge in Lima, Peru, for their Annual Meeting.
Hosted by CIP, the five-day event will give IT Managers the opportunity to share ideas and information. Participants
will also take advantage of the face-to-face meeting to make concrete plans to ensure that technology across the
System remains efficient and adequate to the needs of a network as complex as that of the CGIAR.
Outcome Mapping Workshop
A four-day workshop entitled "Outcome Mapping: A Practical, Flexible, Participatory Approach to Monitoring &
Evaluation" will be held from 23 to 26 October 2006 at the University of Guelph, Canada.
Read More 
ICT-KM Homepage
The ICT-KM Program is proud to announce that several projects are successfully approaching completion and are already bringing tangible benefits to CGIAR Centers and partners. From offering enhanced video conferencing tools for collaboration, to providing easier access to library holdings, to providing improved connectivity to support scientific research, to giving hope to farmers in their fight against pests ... the list continues.
We would like to take this opportunity to applaud the achievements of one of the Program’s champions, Luz Marina Alvaré, whose hard work and commitment, coupled with the strong support of her community, have led to a resource that will benefit people both within and beyond the CGIAR.
In another development, the CGIAR's innovative use of tools is raising interest with one of our members.
Responding to the demand for improved communications about the Program’s activities, we will soon release briefings that target specific groups. A number of other changes are also in the pipeline – more about them in coming issues of ICT-KM News.
Happy reading!
Enrica Porcari
Chief Information Officer
CGIAR
Main News
CGVlibrary Lauded by Users
Since the official launch of the CGVlibrary at the end of June 2006, the congratulatory messages have been pouring in. Luz Marina Alvaré , who spearheads the project responsible for integrating the resources of all CGIAR libraries into a System-wide library, and her team of Information Managers from the various CGIAR Centers have been overwhelmed by the response to date.
Read More
Expert Systems to Reduce Crop Losses
Every year, pest-related crop losses are estimated to run into the tens of billions of dollars. Despite the millions invested in preventative measures, pest epidemics continue to cause severe hardship to poor farmers and the economies of developing countries.
Read More
Behind the Scenes: Luz Marina Alvaré
When Luz Marina Alvaré talks about the CGVlibrary, her enthusiasm is evident. Her voice takes on an excited tone as she eagerly relates the library’s progress to date. Three years spent at the helm of a demanding project have obviously done little to diminish her passion for her work.
Read More
KM4DEV in Brighton
The recent Knowledge Management for Development (KM4DEV) Annual Workshop held in Brighton, England, used some novel techniques to explore common ground between learning-focused and knowledge-management-focused approaches to change in international development.
Read More
Successful Conclusion of DVC Project
CGIAR staff at nine pilot locations now have desktop video conferencing (DVC) equipment at their disposal, courtesy of the ICT-KM Program’s DVC project. As a result, staff at these locations are now able to collaborate more effectively with each other.
Read More
Workshop with a Difference
Earlier this year, IPGRI organized an electronic workshop to facilitate discussions on the impact of its work on Non Timber Forest Products (NTFP). Co-sponsored by the ICT-KM Program, the event was also seen as a try-out for the future collaborations among geographically dispersed participants.
Read More
We welcome feedback on the ICT-KM News, so please feel free to contact us at ictkm@cgiar.org