Trial Site Database
Multi-site agricultural trial database for climate change analysis.
Background
For decades cultivar testing has proven to be an efficient and valuable methodology for varietal improvement and targeted dissemination. Trial sites in particular, maintained by CG-centers, advanced research institutes and/or NARS, have been key elements for improvement programs addressing issues such as drought tolerance, heat stress, pasture and livestock management, soil, water and forest management, and fisheries. However, much of the information on trial sites is not publically available, and indeed large volumes of historic trials data are likely lost due to poor data management. Gaps remain and there is an urgent need to design and test new institutional arrangements (World Bank Development Report), and to improve the dissemination performance of the system.
This project develops an agricultural technology evaluation database for climate change analysis. The purpose of the database is to conduct subsequent analysis on the performance of agricultural technologies under a changing climate and form the basis for improving models of agricultural production under current and future conditions, and for evaluating the efficacy of trialed materials for adaptation.
Objectives
To establish a broad database and online repository of multi site trial that will then form the basis for improving models of agricultural production under current and future conditions, and for evaluating the efficacy of tested materials for adaptation.To compile, manage and share standardize multi-site trial data information from Africa and Asia. To expand the existing trials database to also incorporate trial data on livestock and fish, and include NARS as well as more CG Centers in the database.
Activities
The web application designed consists of an alpha version of a Web server that holds a database and a file repository. The database will store mostly metadata about agricultural technology evaluation trials. The file repository stores the actual raw data from the trials.The database design was partly accomplished through the input of stakeholders during a workshop in Nairobi, Kenya in October2010.
Outputs
- Design of an alpha version of a special and friendly web application to compile and store information on the performance of agricultural technology
- The database design carried out using Symphony software is built around individual agricultural technology evaluation trials, groups of trials across sites and the growing seasons and a bibliographic table of all documentation related to the research. Related to these master tables is a group of auxiliary tables storing information on contacts, institutions, sites, crops, varieties and environmental information.
- Raw data and their associated metadata from more than 3000 trials carried out in the last three decades, in more than 20 countries across Africa, South East Asian and Latin America have been collected and organized and are currently been uploaded into the database. They cover 16 crops and 7 livestock species.
Partners
Five CGIAR centers are currently participating in this initiative: AfricaRice, the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Intitute of CIAT (CIAT-TSBF), the International Potato Centre (CIP), the International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
Timeframe
June 2010 to June 2011. A phase II is planned from July 1 2011 to December 2011.
Links
Visit AgTrials.org