Metadata Framework for Agricultural Resources Information System (AgRIS)

1. Metadata Framework for Agricultural Resources Information System (AgRIS) Presented by Dr. A.K.Choubey & Dr. Meenakshi Mahajan National Informatics Centre, New Delhi, India At AFITA 2006 Conference, Bangalore 10-11-2006

2. Overview • Orientation of the problem • Objectives of the study • Methodology • Agricultural Resources Information System & • Agricultural Informatics & Communication Network Applications • Review on Metadata standards • Suggestions • Initiatives • Road ahead • Benefits

3. Introduction & Orientation of Problem • Large number of Information systems implemented by NIC in collaboration with User Departments • Problem of resource discovery and Interoperability • Importance of Meta data Standards • Govt. focus on e-Gov. applications • Effectiveness of e-Government and e-Governance on technical integration between departments & regions • Standardization helps in achieving successful and scalable integration with reasonable technical cost and minimum rework • Responsibility for preparing standards under National e-Governance Program • Agriculture being primary sector and state subject, more challenges involved and need for common control vocabulary, mapping of languages etc.

4. Areas Identified for Standardization • Technical Standards and e-Governance Architecture • Metadata and Data Standards for e-Gov. Application Domains • Network and Information Security Standards • Localization and Language Technology Standards • Quality and Documentation Standards

5. Main Objective • To explore existing Data & Metadata standards to develop framework for e-Governance applications in Agriculture for the country

6. Specific goals:- • To facilitate efficient discovery of information resources in Agriculture sector • To ensure interoperability among different e-Governance Applications • To facilitate management of resources by data owners

7. Methodology • Develop a conceptual map of different types of information resources used in agriculture • Review and Explore existing standards and common resource description practices currently used in the domain of agriculture • Identify un-covered data elements for standardization based on the gap analysis

8. IT Projects in Agriculture • AGRISNET • AgRIS (http://agris.nic.in ) • DACNET (http://dacnet.nic.in ) • AGMARKNET (http://agmarknet.nic.in ) • DAIC • APHNET • ARISNET • FERTNET, SEEDNET, ACIN, PPIN, VISTARNET, and others

9. Agricultural Resources: Some facts • Agricultural Resources may be defined as total means available to increase agricultural productivity and profitability • Integrated information on various resource parameters is the key requirement to solve location specific problems • Providing access to information will empower stakeholders to plan better and take appropriate decisions • Availability of Data, Information, knowledge, Models with multiple Departments/ Organizations/ Institutions/ Agencies/ Service Providers at multiple locations • Sources of Data: Digital maps, Raster Image, Point Vector Data, Vector Data,spatial/temporal data, non-spatial data in structured and unstructured format, Text, digital, and others • Diversity in agricultural resources due to natural as well as man-made factors demands for location specific information system to manage optimally

10. Objectives of AgRIS • Develop a comprehensive database on various parameters related to land use, water, inputs use etc. • Development of Decision support Systems on production practices and Systems to support agricultural development planning and strengthening advisory services for farmers • Creation of Metadata for building Agricultural Resources Information System • Preparation of Guidelines on standardized methodology/ best practices to be used for replication of AgRIS in similar districts of the country • Capacity Building through Human Resource Development for associated officials in the districts

11. Water Soil Climate Resources Resources Resources Data Data Data Infrastructure Data Capital Resources Socio-economic DSS, Metadata and and Statistical Land Records Open GIS Data Data Remote Sensing Data Environment Data Fisheries Plant Animal Resources Resources Resources Components of Agricultural Resources Information Systems Information System Layers

12. Agriculture Development Processes E-Governance Supply Chain Management E-Commerce Pre & Post Harvest Marketing Customer Application continuance Supplier Service Providers Producers & Consumers E-Learning & KM CRM Research, Education & Extension Input services ERP Agricultural Resource Planning

13. Agro-Advisory & Extension System Agro-Advisory & Extension System Scheme Monitoring System Farmers Help Desk system Scheme Monitoring System Farmers Help Desk system AGRISNET Application Integration Knowledge Management System Knowledge Management System Planning & Monitoring Planning & Monitoring Support System Support System Agricultural Marketing & Sales Management Agricultural Marketing & Sales Management Agricultural Produce Management System Agricultural Produce Management System Enterprise Resource Management System Enterprise Resource Management System Agricultural Production Monitoring System Agricultural Production Monitoring System Risk Management System Risk Management System Agricultural Input Supply System Agricultural Input Supply System Agricultural Resource Improvement System Agricultural Resource Improvement System

14. AGRISNET SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE Display Layer Business Rules AGRISNET Meta Data & Database W3C Compliant Browser W3C Compliant Browser Hand Held Devices AGRISNET Applications AGRISNET Applications Direct Access Enterprise Resource & Knowledge Management Enterprise Resource & Knowledge Management Extension, Advisory & Farmers Redressal Extension, Advisory & Farmers Redressal Marketing & Risk Management Marketing & Risk Management Ag. Production Monitoring Agricultural Production Monitoring Input Supply Input Supply Agriculture Resources Agriculture Resources AGRISNET Server AGRISNET Server Firewall Firewall VPN INTERNET W3C Compliant Browser Standard Web Services for Data Publishing

15. Fusion of Technology Framework Scanning Remote Sensing Aerial Photographs Global Positioning System Data Acquisition SOI Topographic Map Data Storage & Retrieval Geographic Information System Spatial & Non-Spatial Database DSS & AnalyticalModeling Data Authentication Smart Card Citizen Services Thematic maps Cadastral Maps Information Kiosk

16. Existing Data & Metadata Standards in Agriculture • Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) • Agricultural Metadata Element Set (AGMES) • AGRIS • Australian Government Locator Service (AGLS) • Metadata Encoding & Transmission Standard (METS) • Statistical data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) • Content Standard for Geo-spatial metadata

17. Metadata Schema • Document like Information Objects: DCMI,AGMES,AGLS • Geographic Information: SPATL, GI Metadata (ISO 19115 ) • Biodiversity & Genetic resources: MCPD, ABCD • Statistical data: SDMX • Institutions/Persons: CERIF/EuroCRIS • Project: WISARD, CERIF/EuroCRIS

18. Agriculture Domain Application Level Databases Metadata Requirements for various Levels Documentation

19. Suggestions • Use of International Meta Data standards (DCMI, AGRIS, AGLS and others) for common Data elements at country level • Develop data standards for uncovered data elements using national standard classifications and definitions • Include hierarchical classifications of Resource Data Elements for example location as state/district/Block/Village • Constituting Working Groups on different Agriculture Resources

20. Metadata Initiatives by NIC • Brainstorming Workshops have been conducted • Resource Partners from government, research Institutions, IT Industry are being identified and involved in the process • Identification of Common data elements under Land Record Systems has been undertaken by a specific group

21. Roadmap to eGov Metadata & Data Standards Metadata Interoperability Framework Data Standards XML Schema and XSLT for domain specific services Controlled Vocabulary Identification of Metadata Elements for Indian context Start Evaluation of International Metadata Standards Source : DRTC, ISI

22. Benefits of the Framework to NIC and the Agricultural Community • Ensure interoperability for sharing and exchange of information in the Agricultural Community • Format for describing and maintaining Information Systems • Format for uniform presentation of meta information on the Portal • Format for the AgRIS (Agricultural Resources Information System) to facilitate information exchange and self-reliance of data management by data owners/agencies involved in implementation of AgRIS

23. Thanks for your kind Attentionakchoubey@nic.inmeenakshi.mahajan@nic.in