What People Say About Us

"The appointment of a CIO and the establishment of the ICT-KM Program have given an impetus to knowledge sharing within the CGIAR System and beyond. This now allows us to move communications into higher and higher levels using new information technology to the fullest extent possible so that our knowledge and the results of our research are widely shared by all."

"CGIAR Centers truly are knowledge centers. They need an environment where there are systems, policies and support for effective access to information, communication between people across and beyond the Centers, and collaboration between like-minded professionals within and beyond the Centers. The ICT-KM Program is like a dream come true for me because it recognizes the importance of the key elements: information, communication and collaboration as the three pillars that support knowledge growth, evolution, renewal and utilization in an organization. I am excited."

"Thanks to the support of the KM/S Project, CIFOR's last annual meeting was undoubtedly the best one ever. Staff came away excited and energized."

"It was one of the best workshops I ever attended. We have to promote a forum in which all can express their views. Otherwise, we're wasting our time."

"This year, unsolicited comments on the CIO's management style are universally complementary, mentioning her visionary, articulate and persuasive presentations and her effectiveness in generating awareness and motivating Center audiences. Along with the participatory nature of the Program's workshops, capacity-building in the weaker projects and the sense of increased ownership and responsibility on the part of project teams, this suggests that the CIO and her office have been largely successful in becoming supportive as well as directive."

"Thanks to the coordination provided by the Chief Information Officer and the various working groups, we now have the unique opportunity to work with the entire CGIAR System, and this is a really important development for all of us at FAO. In the long term, if we align more of the activities of the CGIAR and the FAO, we can achieve more together. This is a strengthened partnership, and the partners are serious about working with a joint agenda."

"The main reason for considering a System-wide MTP tool is to reduce our workload. The associated database will remove the need to re-do the entire MTP every year. The data in the database will only need updating each year, and perhaps 50-60% of the content will not need changing. The production of the MTP report itself will be much easier for us all, because it will be automatically generated, all formatted, by the tool. There will be no misunderstandings about what is required, and we will all use the same interpretations and definitions. The Science Council will be greatly encouraged (and have in fact confirmed this) to minimize the changes from year to year. And finally, we, the Science Council, the donors, anyone, will be able to undertake System-wide searches and reports of the database, thereby greatly reducing the need for all those special studies and reports we are often lumbered with - including the Regional MTPs."

"It was such a useful meeting and it's great to be able to see people face-to-face. It makes such a difference. So much better than just using email!"

"It [CGIAR SRTM data available on the CSI website] allows us to rapidly produce an initial geographic overview map of the affected area - something that is always in demand from agencies flying into an unknown situation. In many cases, we use the SRTM data for terrain analysis, covering areas liable to flooding, or flat ground suitable for temporary camps. The CGIAR dataset has the particular advantages of being available 24/7 on the CGIAR/KCL fast servers; of having the data "holes" filled in; and, in the latest version, of having the best available coastline definition."

"If we can share those resources, if we can provide common access through one portal to the information that we produce, if we can have the power of the whole System in negotiating for access to journals and information, then we're all better off."