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1. Information, Networking and Library
Acquisition of publications: The Library of the SAARC Agriculture Centre has a collection of about 3200 books, periodicals, journals and magazines in the field of agriculture and allied subjects.
Current Awareness/SDI services (Newspaper Clippings): The Library has compiled and printed 23 volumes of Newspaper clippings containing selected agricultural articles published in the newspapers in SAARC countries. The Centre distributes these newspaper clippings to 60 institutions in the SAARC member countries.
SAARC AgriNet Project: Initiated the SAARC AgriNet project with the vision to “become the most sought after regional information network for reliable information and knowledge on agriculture and allied disciplines in
South Asia
.” The Project has the mission to “provide timely, relevant and universal access to information and knowledge resources to all the agricultural practitioners of the SAARC Member Countries to achieve their respective goals through networking agricultural knowledge and information systems by adopting the appropriate information and communication technologies, management practices and standards.”
Local Area Network (LAN): The Centre has established a 64 KBPS internet connectivity to 20 PCs (with provision for 40 nodes) and a Local Area Network (LAN) running over Windows 2003 Server software.
2. Production of Publications
Regular Publications
Newsletter: The Centre has published 14 volumes of quarterly SAIC Newsletter which will now be renamed as SAARC Agri Newsletter. Each quarterly Newsletter has 7500 copies. The Newsletter is being distributed to about 7000 scientists, researchers, academicians, VIPs, etc. in various agricultural organizations and universities in the SAARC region.
Bulletins: Three issues of the Bulletin on SAARC Agricultural Data and eight issues of the Bullewtin on Food Grain Situations in SAARC Countries have been published. The Food Grain Situations Bulletin provides the current status of food production situation and the needs of various important crops in the SAARC region. These Bulletins are distributed based on the institutional mailing list.
Annual Report: The Centre has so far produced 9 issues of the Annual Report with 750 copies each an distributed them according to the institutional mailing list of the Centre.
Journal: Four volumes of the SAARC Journal of Agriculture, starting from 2003 have been published , with 750 copies for each volume, and distributed copies based on the institutional mailing list. Some 20 to 22 scientific papers have appeared in these volumes.
Occasional Publications
Technical publications: The Centre has so far produced 9 (nine) technical publications of 750 copies each on various subjects like transfer of farm technologies, research and extension system, quarantine and phytosanitary laws, plant genetic resources, technologies on livestock and fisheries, etc. These publications were distributed according to the institutional mailing list.
Directories: The Centre has produced 9 (nine) Directories of 750 copies each on agricultural periodicals, institutions, scientists and technologists, seed companies, etc. and distributed these based on the institutional mailing list.
Workshop Proceedings: Six workshop proceedings, including workshops hosted by the Centre itself and other SAARC organisations in the various member countries, have been published and distributed based on the institutional mailing list of the Centre.
Bibliographies: The Centre has so far published 6 (six) bibliographies, with 750 copies each on various subjects like Bibliography on potato, Fish Diseases, Agro-forestry, Agricultural biotechnology, technologies on drought prone & salt affected AEZ, Seed quality, production & preservation, etc. These Bibliographies are distributed based on the institutional mailing list maintained at the Centre.
Databases: The Centre has published 3 (three) databases of 750 copies each on renewable energy resources; livestock production, breeding & managemen;, and post harvest management in agriculture. These databases are distributed based on institutional mailing.
Union Catalogue: The Centre published 1 (one) Union Catalogue of 750 copies on Ph. D Thesis in different SAARC Countries and distributed these based on the institutional mailing list.
Impact Study Report: SAC has conducted the `Impact study of SAIC publications’ and the outcome is presented and printed in a Report form.
3. Audio-visual Media Production & Reproduction
Video Set-up: The Centre is equipped with a non-linear professional video editing system with the latest DV and Beta cameras and recorder, television sets, DVD players, CD duplicators, etc.
Video Productions: In collaboration with member countries, the Centre has produced 27 (twenty seven) videos in Beta-cam, DV-cam and Hi-band formats on various subjects like mandarin production, paddy cultivation, livestock farming, etc.
Video collections: The Centre has collected 110 (hundred and ten) videos in VHS format produced by member countries and maintained these in Centre’s Video Library. The videos cover subjects in different areas in agriculture and allied disciplines such as on cotton cultivation, irrigation policies, soybean cultivation, sugarcane nursery management, etc.
Distribution of AV materials: The Centre has distributed 439 (four hundred thirty nine) videos on various formats like VCDs and VHS video tapes on different agricultural, livestock, fisheries topics to institutions in the member countries.
Reproduction of information materials: Both audiovisual and printed materials collected by the Centre are being reproduced through VCDs and photocopied for distribution to institutions, and to individuals on request.
4. Computer and communication of Information
Computer procurement: Since establishment, the Centre procured about 20 computers including Gateway 2000, COMPAQ, Dell, etc. Currently there are 20 computers, 9 laser printers, 2 scanners, 1 IBM server using the latest softwares like Windows XP, Office 2000, Acrobat Reader, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. The Centre has also a heavy duty Xerox photocopy machine.
CD ROM Search Services: This service facility was introduced a few years back and since then the Centre has received more than a thousand e-mails from the SAARC member countries and as a result of which some 80,000 abstract information have already been sent to the clients through e-mail.
Web publishing, updating and e-mails: The website of SAC, http://www.saic-dhaka.org has been updated with new programmes of the Centre and other related information resources. Since 2002, more than 19,752 people have visited the website.
CD-ROM and computer software: The also procure and maintain 14 (fourteen) annually updated CD ROM databases like AGRICOLA, CAB Abstracts, HORT, Plant Gene, SOIL, TREE, VET, FSTA, etc.
5. Workshop / seminar /public functions
The Centre organised and hosted 4 (four) regional workshops with wide participation from the seven SAARC member countries as indicated below:
Agricultural Information Needs, Mode, Mechanism and Information Flow in SAARC Countries: This workshop was held on 31 March - 2 April, 1997 with 50 participants. Sixteen (16) papers presented at workshop along with 10 recommendations were published in the proceedings of the workshop. Copies of the proceedings were widely distributed.
Regional Workshop of Experts in SAARC Countries on Transfer of Technology in Agriculture: This workshop was held on 2-5 November 1998 with 50 participants. Thirteen (13) papers and 10 recommendations were published in the proceedings of the workshop. Copies were widely distributed.
Role of Information and Communication Technologies for Poverty Alleviation through Agricultural Development in SAARC Countries: This workshop was held on 22-23 October, 2003 with 59 participants. Eleven (11) papers presented at the workshop with 24 recommendations were published in the proceedings and copies were widely distributed.
Proceedings of the Regional Workshop on Attempts and Successes of ICT Roadmap to Villages in the SAARC Countries: This workshop was held on 6-8 October 2004 with 48 participants. Nine (9) country papers along with 2 resource papers presented at the workshop and 32 recommendations were published in the proceedings and copies were widely distributed.
SAARC Charter Day: The Centre observes the SAARC Charter Day on 8 December every year to commemorate the special occasion.
6. Training and professional development of staff
Staff Training: The Centre has offered as many as 14 training to 12 general staff both in the host country, Bangladesh and outside in the SAARC member countries.
Professional Development: Since the programme of professional development was introduced in 2004, 5 (five) professionals represented the Centre in conferences / study tours in
South East Asia
and in one SAARC member country outside
Bangladesh
.
7. Programme Monitoring & Evaluation
Monitoring & backstopping support to programmes: So far, the Director and Professionals of SSAARC Agriculture Centre visited
India
,
Pakistan
,
Maldives
,
Sri Lanka
and
Nepal
to provide support services to the programmes implemented in collaboration with these countries, and also to strengthen institutional linkages with agricultural institutions in the member countries.
8. Administration & Finance / Infrastructure / Manpower
Physical infrastructure: Presently, the Centre has an office space of 8,500 sq ft. with centrally air conditioned office accommodation, own generator, computers with LAN facilities, internet connection, etc.
Human Resource: The present manpower strength of the Centre is 28 staff including the Director, professionals and general services staff.
Organization of Meetings of the Governing Board: The Centre has successfully organized 20 Meetings of the Governing Board so far.
Despatch / distribution of publications & products of SWAARC Agriculture Centre: The SAARC Agriculture Centre maintains two Mailing Lists: SAC Newsletter Mailing List and Institutional Mailing List. The quantity of publications printed is based on the Mailing Lists. The number of the SAARC Agri Newsletter printed is 7500 copies while other publications are printed 750 copies each.
Revenue through sale of SAC publications: The Centre has generated a revenue of Tk.70,000/= (Bangladesh Taka seventy thousand) only, through the sale of its publications over the years.
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121 India
92 Bangladesh
44 Pakistan
31 Sri Lanka
15 Nepal
4 United States of America
3 Ivory Coast
3 Bhutan