Government Information in Canada/Information gouvernementale au Canada, Volume 2, number/numéro 1 (summer/été 1995)

Information and the International Development Research Centre 1

Paul McConnell and Bev Chataway 2

ABSTRACT: The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is a Crown corporation based in Ottawa. It was created in 1970 to fund and promote research on effective, sustainable, and equitable solutions to development problems. This article describes the range of information functions and resources (databases, systems, services, and products) at IDRC, and how to access them. It also describes IDRC's extensive program of support for research and capacity building in the management and use of information in the developing world. It concludes with some notes on trends and opportunities in the information environment at IDRC.

RÉSUMÉ: Le Centre de recherches pour le développement international (CRDI) est une société d'état, dont le centre d'opérations est Ottawa. Ce centre fut crée en 1970 pour subventionner et pour promouvoir la recherche de solutions efficaces, équitables et de longue durée aux problèmes de développement. Cet article décrit les diverses fonctions et ressources informationnelles (bases de données, systèmes, services et produits) au CRDI, et commont y accéder. Aussi décrit-on la grande envergure de son programme de soutien à la recherche et à la mise en valeur du potentiel de la gestion et, l'utilisation de l'information dans un monde en développement. En conclusion, on parle des tendances et des opportunités dans l'environnement d'information au CRDI.

Introduction

History and Legal Status

Mandate and Mission

Created by the Parliament of Canada in 1970, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) was the first development assistance institution to focus exclusively on research support and on building scientific capacity in developing countries. The official corporate objectives of IDRC are to initiate, encourage, support, and conduct research into the developing regions of the world and into the means of applying and adapting scientific, technical, and other knowledge towards sustainable economic and social advancement. In pursuit of these objectives, IDRC's mandate allows it (a) to enlist the talents of natural and social scientists and technologists of Canada and other countries; (b) to assist the developing regions to build up the research capabilities, the innovative skills, and the institutions required to solve their problems; (c) to encourage generally the coordination of international development research; and (d) to foster cooperation in research on development problems between the developed and developing regions for their mutual benefit. Through support for applied research in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada, IDRC helps communities in the developing world to make informed choices and find solutions to their social, economic, and environmental problems. IDRC's research partners include universities, governments, private business, and non-governmental organizations.

Legal Status and Funding

The International Development Research Centre Act of 19703 provides IDRC with a distinctive legal status. IDRC is a Crown corporation which, although subject to auditing by the Auditor General of Canada and obliged to report annually to Parliament on its activities, has its policies and operations determined by an autonomous international Board of Governors. IDRC employees are not designated as "public servants" of Canada and, indeed, include citizens from about 50 countries. The Board has 21 members, of whom the Chair and 10 others are Canadian, with the remainder being drawn from around the world. Board members are appointed by the government but are selected for their expertise in science, technology, finance, public policy, and international development. Core funding for IDRC's activities is provided by an annual grant from Parliament, which was about $100 million in fiscal year 1994/95. But in the present climate of financial constraint, this grant is gradually being reduced ($96 million in 1995/96).

Consequently, an increasing amount of additional funding is being raised from external sources (primarily UN agencies and other donors) to finance major international research initiatives being co-funded or managed by IDRC. In effect, the nature of IDRC's mandate and imaginative legal status allow IDRC to operate flexibly on the international scene, to take initiatives and risks that might be denied to formal government bodies, and to develop partnerships with a diverse community of other organizations.

Organizational Structure

General

The Board of Governors sets the policies for IDRC and approves funding of larger activities (i.e., those greater than $500 000). The chief executive officer is the President, who holds a rank equivalent to Deputy Minister. The headquarters of IDRC are located in Ottawa, where most of the 350 staff are based. Teams of staff are also based at IDRC's local offices in Africa (Dakar, Johannesburg, and Nairobi), Asia (Phnom Penh, New Delhi and Singapore), Latin America (Montevideo), and the Middle East (Cairo). This regional presence allows IDRC to strengthen its linkages to researchers and policy makers in developing countries, and helps ensure that IDRC remains sensitive to local needs and priorities. Indeed, many of the Centre's professional staff either have roots in the developing world or have acquired a familiarity with the problems and challenges of development; many are also authorities in the research fields being supported by IDRC. The staff are assigned to a particular responsibility centre according to geographical or sectoral affiliation. Increasingly, however, the interdisciplinary nature of the work demands that staff work in teams across administrative boundaries.

Principles and practices that guide IDRC in implementing its mandate include:

Responsiveness to local problems and priorities identified by the developing countries themselves;
Providing direct grants in support of research;
Building and reinforcing indigenous research capacity in developing countries;
Encouraging linkages among researchers and development agencies, creating networks of scientific and development partners;
Placing emphasis on active dissemination and application of research findings for maximum development impact;
Assigning priority to sustainable and equitable development, i.e. emphasizing social equality among all peoples now, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

IDRC Research Programs

Although the guiding principles remain constant, IDRC's research programs and priorities continue to evolve in response to changing needs. The IDRC Corporate Program Framework, published in 1993, reflects the decisions taken by IDRC's Board following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) that took place in June 1992. At the Earth Summit, the Prime Minister of Canada encouraged IDRC to play a lead role in implementing the Agenda 21 action plan.

Most of IDRC's research activities are located within six multidisciplinary Core Themes on Environment and Development and Programs for Sustainable and Equitable Development:

Integrating environmental, social and economic policies;
Technology and the environment;
Food systems under stress;
Health and the environment;
Biodiversity;
Information and communication for environment and development.

IDRC and Information

Of particular note is the emphasis that IDRC has given in all its activities to the role of information. IDRC is the only donor agency to have placed special emphasis on the value of information as an essential fuel, catalyst, and product of development research. At one level, information is the engine of modern economies; at another, it is a vital ingredient towards empowering individuals and communities to make decisions about the transformation of their society. IDRC has long recognized the need for increased support for the information infrastructure in developing countries and for more research into information problems. Consequently, right from its inception, IDRC established a substantive program in the field of Information Sciences, and has since provided some $150 million in support of almost 700 projects. At the same time as it has been establishing this program of grants in support of information research and capacity building, IDRC has also endeavoured to build up its own information systems and services and, indeed, has encouraged synergistic interaction, transfers, and support between the "external" and "internal" programs whenever appropriate.

Information Management within IDRC

Advisory Committee on Information Management

The Advisory Committee on Information Management (ACIM) was created in 1993 to guide the IDRC President and Senior Management on issues related to the strategic use of information and related technologies as corporate resources for the development and delivery of IDRC programs and administrative services. ACIM touches on all areas where information may be seen as a corporate resource. Its membership is drawn from across the program and administrative arms of IDRC, including managers from the Centre Library, Finance and Administration, Management Information Services, Information Sciences and Systems, and the IDRC user community.

ACIM's primary task is to advise Senior Management on:

Strategic planning for the development of IDRC's information and communication systems;
Annual budget requests for investments in information systems and technology;
The adequacy of methods, standards, and controls for the definition and operation of the Centre's information systems and technologies;
Integration of training plans;
Evaluation of IDRC's information systems and related activities.

ACIM focuses on strategic issues and matters which are corporate in scope. It has initiated four interrelated tasks to help establish a framework and basis for IDRC planning and decision making in this field:

Development of an Information and Communication Management Strategy for IDRC;
Information Technology Visioning;
Study of Communications within IDRC;
Study on Corporate Information Electronic Access/Dissemination.

IDRC Information Systems

The major information systems designed primarily for internal use at IDRC, or which evolved from this starting point, are RADIUS, IDRIS, and EVIS.

RADIUS: The Research Activity Database System

RADIUS is at the core of IDRC's internal information systems and is gradually being linked with all other corporate systems. Financial, administrative, and subject information on all the research activities funded by IDRC is captured and managed in RADIUS. Data are entered into the system early on at the pipeline stage, i.e., in the development phase prior to approval, and are maintained and updated throughout the life cycle of the project.

IDRIS: The Inter-Agency Development Research Information System

IDRIS grew from an experiment in the late 1970's to improve access to descriptive information on the research projects being funded by IDRC. Previously, limited project details had been stored on catalogue cards but the introduction of an automated project information system using MINISIS (see below) dramatically changed the way this resource could be used. Being able to search the database rapidly by subject keywords, countries, research institutions, and other items, and generate printouts that included full abstracts of the projects, enabled IDRC staff to improve planning and evaluation efforts, undertake more comprehensive reviews, and quickly prepare briefing notes and special reports. At a subsequent meeting of donor agencies involved in supporting development research, this successful experience in implementing a project database stimulated a feasibility study to determine whether such a methodology could accommodate a shared database serving both the cooperative and individual needs of each participating agency. The results were positive and the Inter-Agency Development Research Information System (IDRIS) was established. The participating agencies currently are: BOSTID (Board on Science and Technology for International Development, Washington, DC), FINNIDA ( Finnish International Development Agency), IDRC (International Development Research Centre), IFS (International Foundation for Science), JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), SAREC (Swedish Agency for Research Cooperation with Developing Countries).

Access to IDRIS is now available to external users via IDRC's Development Data Bases Service (see below).

EVIS: The Evaluation Information System

IDRC believes it is essential to have in place an effective mechanism for monitoring its performance and evaluating the impact of its efforts. A significant component of this mechanism must be a system for capturing the results of evaluations and the lessons learned. This is the role of EVIS, which has been specifically designed by IDRC's Evaluation Unit to provide IDRC management and program staff with ready access to information from evaluation studies undertaken or sponsored by IDRC. Its aim is to facilitate the use of evaluation information to formulate program policy and improve project planning. The structure of the EVIS database allows the user to search for information on a specific evaluation report or for particular issues that can be examined across a set of studies.

Although the EVIS database was primarily designed for internal use by IDRC management and staff, its contents may be of interest to others working in this field. Access can be provided via the Evaluation Unit. EVIS data is also captured on the Development Activity Information CD-ROM (see below).

Corporate Memory and Archives

IDRC has in place a formal Records Management program to provide for the effective, efficient, and economical care and control of the Centre's records, including electronic documents. The program addresses (i) systems, procedures, and equipment for the documentation and organization of records; (ii) development of records reference services and retrieval techniques; (iii) identification, preservation, and security of records of continuing value; and (iv) systematic elimination or transfer of obsolete or dormant records.

IDRC is required to comply with guidelines and directives of the National Archives of Canada Act (Section 2). It is also subject to the Access to Information Act (Schedule 1) and the Privacy Act,4 and must comply with these Acts in the maintenance, accessibility, and disposal of its records holdings. A Records Management Committee, drawn from across IDRC, is responsible for developing records management policies and guidelines, reviewing concerns and problems, maintaining a master list of the Centre's records holdings, providing training for IDRC staff, monitoring new services and technologies, serving as liaison with the National Archives of Canada, and evaluating implementation of the program. Inevitably the Committee has become involved with electronic records, and has created "Guidelines for Managing Electronic Documents" for use when storing recorded information on LAN drives, workstations, and diskettes. The Committee also introduced the "W: drive" on IDRC's LAN; onto this is placed documentation on IDRC administrative policies, notes on meetings, and other material of potential interest to staff across the Centre. Benefits include ready access and reduced number of paper copies. With the expanding electronic connectivity of IDRC staff, the work of the Records Management Committee will continue to evolve.

IDRC Library

Created in 1971, the Centre Library has become an integral part of IDRC's overall information program. It provides an active information service to Centre staff in Ottawa and the regions, to IDRC-supported projects, and to other related communities in Canada and abroad. The main function of the Library is to stimulate and facilitate information sharing about development issues in general, and development research in particular.

Library Collection

Holdings and Collection Development

The Library collection reflects the mission of IDRC and the particular needs of its clientele. Primary clientele are recipients of IDRC grants, the development community in Canada, IDRC staff in Canada and abroad, media, academics worldwide, students, Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff. The Library's extensive collection of reference and research materials comprises more than 65,000 books and reports, 1,500 journal titles, newspapers, grey literature, microfiche, audio-visual materials, and CD-ROMs covering the spectrum of international development. Some areas particularly well represented are sustainable development, technology transfer, environment, gender and development, science policy, information management, and health. In addition, the Library maintains a collection of IDRC archival documents; this includes copies of print and non-print items resulting from IDRC-funded research projects, papers written by IDRC staff, and other material describing IDRC and its activities. The main Library database, BIBLIOL, allows automated access to the collection. Details of all IDRC-funded projects can be obtained from the IDRIS database -- the Inter-Agency Development Research Information System (see above). Direct access to the IDRIS database allows extraction of specific data on an activity, a region, a country, an institution, a discipline, a researcher, or a subject. The BIBLIOL and IDRIS databases are part of IDRC's Development Data Bases Service (DDBS), which can be accessed remotely (see below). Although the main Library collection in Ottawa is substantial in its main fields of interest, extensive and increasing use is made of external databases via electronic access.

Bibliographic Control

The Library uses MINISIS, an information management software package developed by IDRC (see below), to build and maintain the Library database. Items are catalogued in one of IDRC's three working languages -- English, French, or Spanish -- according to the language of the original text; all three languages can be searched using the MINISIS software. Cataloguing products include COM (Computer Output Microform) fiche, printed indexes to the Library database, and IDRC Acquires, a quarterly list of recent additions to the collection. These are sent out to IDRC regional offices, as well as to other libraries in Canada and abroad.

IMAGES Database

In 1994, IDRC launched a new database, IMAGES, which provides access to thousands of recent photographic slides, most of which relate to IDRC projects. IMAGES combines high quality digitized reproductions of the original slides with a powerful Windows-based program, allowing for flexible and easy searching.

Special Collections

A number of special collections are located in the IDRC Library. These include the Corporate Archives of IDRC literature, the InfoQuest collection of files containing material describing 2,500 organizations and research centres whose activities relate to IDRC's interests, the microform collection of microfiche copies of IDRC publications and project reports plus documents listed in the UNIDO and AID databases, and the Brundtland Collection of the original documents of the World Commission on Environment and Development (1987). The Brundtland Collection, which covers topics such as technology, forestry, agriculture, energy, industry, economics, law, health, population, and politics, complements the collection of material from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 1992, which has been co-published by IDRC and UN Publications as the Earth Summit CD-ROM (see below).

External Access: "The Virtual Library"

Reference Services

Orientation to development information sources, tours of the IDRC Library, borrowing facilities, expert advice, and short-term training are some of the services provided to external users in the NGO, academic, and international development communities. Visitors are welcome at all times, whether in person at IDRC headquarters in Ottawa or electronically via the Internet at reference@idrc.ca. Increasingly, direct access is encouraged to the IDRC collection and the related development information databases made available through the Development Data Bases Service.

Development Data Bases Service

IDRC's Development Data Bases Service (DDBS) provides online access to the resources of the IDRC Library and to selected databases of several UN and other agencies in the development field. Currently there are nine databases available via the DDBS:

BIBLIOL: The collection of the IDRC Library;
ACRONYM: Acronyms related to the activities of IDRC;
IDRIS: Inter-Agency Development Research Information System, incorporating details of approximately 10,000 specific research activities of six development agencies;
AID: Technical research and development materials produced by the United States Agency for International Development;
FAO: Documents produced by or for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations;
ILO: A subset of the International Labour Office's database LABORDOC;
UNESCO: Database of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization;
UNIDO: Documents produced by or for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization;
WHO: Publications produced by the World Health Organization, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences.

Interactive online access is available via Datapac and Internet (telnet address is ddbs.idrc.ca, using login name: guest). Nonprofit organizations have free access to the DDBS. Currently there are over 200 DDBS users. Most Canadian university libraries (and many others around the world), as well as NGOs and several government departments, are making use of the service.

IDRC as Publisher

Public Information Program

The Public Information Program plays an integral role in fulfilling IDRC's responsibility to disseminate research findings and other information about Centre activities. IDRC reaches audiences through a variety of channels, including specific conferences, series of public debates, media briefings, and audiovisual productions. But the printed word remains the most prevalent and powerful. Two tasks have remained constant: (i) the need to satisfy requests for information and reporting requirements on the institution; and (ii) the need to communicate development research findings to the scientific community and to the practical users of this information.

Publishing Policies and Formats

Given its mandate to support the generation, recording, and sharing of knowledge for development, IDRC has always maintained a strong publishing program. The responsible unit, IDRC Books, has evolved with the availability of new production techniques, dissemination opportunities, and marketing imperatives. One factor that in some ways complicates the work of IDRC Books is the "democratization" of access to electronic publishing and printing. In effect, the new technologies blur the distinction between a formal publication and a printed reproduction. IDRC has addressed this by developing guidelines for use in IDRC to determine which items will receive an ISBN designation, full quality control of editing and production, and marketing treatment, as opposed to the less formal printing of often highly-specialized technical documents intended only for limited distribution. Publications appear in one or more of the Centre's three working languages -- English, French, and Spanish.

Corporate and Technical Publications

At the start of 1995, IDRC had almost 200 titles in print. Some of these are descriptive literature on IDRC, the Annual Report, and other "house" or corporate publications, but the majority are scientific monographs, manuals, workshop proceedings, and other technical publications. An illustrative list of recent titles published by IDRC is presented as an Annex. The ISBN code for IDRC is 0-88936.

Corporate Publications

Corporate publications comprise a range of documents that explain the nature of IDRC, its activities, and its operations, and include reports to the Canadian Parliament to fulfil statutory requirements.

Annual Report

The Annual Report is the mandatory submission to Parliament, but it is also distributed to libraries as a reference document on IDRC.

Magazines

IDRC's quarterly publication, IDRC Reports, is a multidisciplinary magazine of development research. One of the most visible outputs of the Centre, it highlights researchers, discoveries, and perspectives from the South, and plays a unique role in disseminating information and strengthening linkages among its more than 20,000 readers around the world. IDRC Reports, which is published in three language versions, is available on subscription. Starting in 1994, the magazine has been made available in an electronic version (see below).

Technical Publications

Promoting the application of scientific and technical knowledge to the problems of development is the principal objective of IDRC. As one of the major mechanisms for achieving this, IDRC maintains a strong in-house publishing program. In 1994, for example, IDRC published over 30 new technical books (with ISBN codes) as well as many other unofficial reports and proceedings. Although IDRC encourages researchers to publish their findings through all appropriate channels, the existence of IDRC Books helps ensure that significant material is made widely accessible.

Electronic Publishing

In the foreseeable future, given the financial and technical obstacles facing IDRC's audiences in developing countries, as well as the complications caused by incompatible hardware and software, IDRC will continue to disseminate information using printed formats. Nevertheless, demands and capabilities are beginning to shift, and so IDRC has been exploring the potential of electronic publishing.

CD-ROMs and Diskettes

IDRC has been supporting the production of databases on diskette and CD-ROM as part of information projects around the world. For example, one of the more ambitious projects is supporting an international consortium in Asia to create a series of CD-ROMs on health and environmental information in Asia. AHEAD (i.e., the Asian Health, Environmental and Allied Databases) comprises eight major database owners in five countries who have come together to add value to their individual products through an impressive South-South collaborative effort.

To date, however, IDRC has had limited involvement itself as a publisher using the CD-ROM format. The first CD-ROM product published by IDRC (jointly with UN Publications), in 1993, was the "Earth Summit CD-ROM", which contains all the official documents of the largest conference ever hosted by the United Nations -- the UN Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, 1992. Gathered together on one disk are more than 50,000 pages and 3,000 images, comprising the complete Agenda 21 Action Plan, 179 national and regional reports, 55 research papers, official documents from the preparatory meetings, speeches by heads of state, lists of delegates, and similar archival material.

"Gophers" and World Wide Web at IDRC

The connectivity provided by the Internet continues to expand and reach more of IDRC's partners and correspondents, including the research community in developing countries. IDRC expects to make increasing use of the Internet for disseminating information about its activities. Gopher is not the most sophisticated of Internet tools, but it is one of the most readily available around the world, it is easy to use, and it is effective. Consequently, in 1994, IDRC established its own Gopher server at gopher://gopher.idrc.ca. Material accessible via the IDRC Gopher, in both English and French, includes:

General information about IDRC;
Telnet access to IDRC's Development Data Bases Service;
The latest publications catalogue from IDRC Books, the publisher of IDRC;
An overview of the latest issue of the quarterly magazine, IDRC Reports, plus the full-text version of several previous issues;
A directory of e-mail and postal addresses of IDRC staff;
Information on training and awards programs offered by IDRC;
Texts of speeches, research papers, and other electronic documents on current issues of development research;
Information on upcoming meetings, conferences, and workshops;
Pointers to specialized information servers and partner organizations.

Other IDRC Gophers and Listservs are under development (see below). So too is a World Wide Web site that will provide more comprehensive electronic access to information about IDRC and the research it is supporting. The address is http://www.idrc.ca. Linked to this is the WWW server at IDRC's Office in Singapore -- located at http://www.idrc.org.sg -- which supports the regional program for Asia.

Video

Recognizing the considerable influence of television and video cassette recorders in conveying information and affecting attitudes and behaviour, IDRC also publishes development information in video format. Most of these videos capture and disseminate the knowledge generated by IDRC-supported research programs and projects. Some have been compiled into television series. Many of IDRC's video productions are available through the National Film Board of Canada, or can be borrowed from the IDRC Library.

Marketing and Distribution Policies

IDRC Books produces a catalogue of IDRC publications, plus special promotional flyers for selected titles. Abridged versions of the catalogue are also distributed as inserts in IDRC Reports. The publications are sold through IDRC's head office in Canada, and via IDRC's agents and commercial distributors around the world. All IDRC books are available on microfiche, including out-of-print titles. The electronic mail address for ordering IDRC books is order@idrc.ca. IDRC has approximately 300 depository libraries located in several countries.

IDRC Support for Development Information

Program Objectives

Most of the preceding description has been concerned with the information activities taking place within IDRC -- its own databases, library services, publishing efforts, and so on. But IDRC also has a major external program in support of development information activities that is quite distinctive among the donor community. Information is nowhere more valuable and more urgently needed than in the developing world, yet the information gap between the South and the North has been expanding. IDRC responded to the need by creating a program on the Information Sciences and Systems which has since provided over $150 million in grants for strengthening information management in developing countries and for undertaking research into information problems and opportunities.

Full details of all the information-related projects supported to date can be obtained from the IDRIS database. In addition, some useful review articles and a number of illustrative examples of individual projects are also described in the following text. Over the years, two operational approaches have remained constant: (i) selective strengthening of the information infrastructure (e.g. through support for research information services, training, and information networks); (ii) supporting applied research into information problems and practical applications of information systems and technologies.

There are four main objectives guiding IDRC's interventions in the information field:

Better Access and Use of Information: to bring about more equitable access to knowledge needed for development research and change through design and operation of sustainable information and communication systems, services, and networks that fully meet the needs of users.
Improved Collaboration: to stimulate cooperation and coordination in development research and action by promoting exchange of information and experience.
Capacity-Building: to build human and technical capacity within developing countries for effective management of information and application of knowledge.
Information Innovations: to enable developing countries to benefit from applied research into problems of sharing and using knowledge for development, and on ways to improve and adapt appropriate systems, methods, and technologies.

Principal Information and Communication Programs

Information and Communication for Environment and Development (ICED)

This is one of six core themes of IDRC, i.e. multidisciplinary program areas that emphasize the environmental dimension of sustainable development. The theme is a direct response to the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (the "Earth Summit"). It has four components: (i) Information Management, particularly the design of sustainable, environment-related information systems and networks; (ii) Information and Communication Technologies, especially applied research on new technologies and software to improve access, management, and use of environment-related information; (iii) Information for Decision Making, including improved formats for presenting and manipulating data, and development of indicators for monitoring progress towards sustainable development; and (iv) Development Communications, to ensure that the most effective channels are used to reach target groups.

Information Policy Research

The formulation and implementation of appropriate information policies directly affect the way that information can be used as a resource for development by different sectors of society. Research entry points include (i) influencing the policy environment (including research on comparative experiences, case studies, role of information in policy making); (ii) the value and impact of information on development; (iii) the interaction of information and society (including issues of intellectual property, gender bias, cultural implications of new communications technologies); (iv) information and the individual (including access, privacy, use of information in decision-making); and (v) informed transfer of information technology (including technology assessment procedures, promotion of the domestic IT industry, social and economic implications of IT transfer).

Information Capacity-Building

This program aims to enhance the capacity of developing countries to manage and use information as a resource for sustainable and equitable development. It acknowledges that the benefits to be gained from importing northern experts and techniques are usually limited, often unsustainable, and inadequate to the needs. Long-term solutions to the information problems and opportunities require major investment in the information infrastructure to build local capacity in the South. With the constraints imposed by its budget, IDRC's investments must be selective. Nevertheless, activities include support for (i) the formulation of national information policies, standards, and systems, (ii) promotion of sectoral information linkages, international collaboration, and networking, (iii) strengthening the information capacity and role of selected institutions which are active in particular research areas, and (iv) human resources development in the information field through post-graduate education and specialized training.

Program Implementation Mechanisms

The most frequently used mechanism is the provision of cash grants for applied, problem-oriented projects that have clearly identified their objectives, beneficiaries, users, methodology, timetable, outputs, and sustainability (on conclusion of IDRC funding). Project activities are often linked, either by initial design or subsequent evolution, into networks to enhance the opportunities for collaboration and exchange of information. Certain of the networks involve multiple sponsorship and take on the role of international collaborative efforts. Sometimes the need is not for an infusion of cash but for infusions of ideas and experience; consequently IDRC supports workshops (whether convened by IDRC or a developing-country institution) that focus on specific action and policy objectives. Not all of the implementation activities require external agencies; in-house information initiatives supported at IDRC include MINISIS software development. Another is the newsletter Information, Communication and IDRC, that helps to publicize the information activities with which IDRC is associated. An overview of IDRC's first 20 years of support for information projects and related activities is contained in a special issue of the journal Information Development (January 1990, volume 6, number 1, pages 8-61). Some more recent illustrative examples are described in the following sections; also, the January 1996 issue of IDRC Reports will focus on information activities being supported by IDRC.

Projects

IDRC has supported well over 600 information-related projects. Practical results include:

Strengthening of sectoral research information networks;
Creating special information analysis centres;
Support for practical, problem-oriented information systems (e.g. national poison information centres, small-scale industries information services);
Investigation of information options in support of rural development at the community level;
Testing of satellite imagery applications (e.g. land use, river valley development, flood prevention);
Experimenting with advanced information technologies (e.g. expert systems, CD-ROM production);
Telecommunications research for networking, messaging, and conferencing in developing countries;
Development of specialized software (e.g. REDATAM for small-area census, DRMS for debt management);
Human resources development in the information sector (e.g. support for post-graduate courses, extensive in-project training, specially designed short-term courses);
Formulation of national and regional information strategies;
Promoting cooperation among donors and development assistance agencies to share information on their activities;
Publishing several practical reports, monographs, and handbooks in the specialized field of development information.
Building partnerships between researchers in Canada and those in developing countries.

The project modality has proved an effective mechanism for program delivery at IDRC, and will continue to be the mainstay. However, the trend is towards fewer individual "stand-alone" projects; instead, greater emphasis is being placed on a more integrated approach to research support, e.g. through networked projects, or an array of linked projects, workshops, and consultancies all directed at a particular issue.

Networks

IDRC has invested heavily in information networks, electronic and otherwise. The extent of support for information networks in Latin America, for example, has covered diverse sectors such as public health, education, trade, medicine, public administration, development planning, population, agriculture, and social science research.5 Through an interesting conceptual leap, this led to the creation of a "network of networks", in which each of the sectoral components takes responsibility for contributing expertise in a selected field such as marketing, telecommunications, evaluation of services, or CD-ROM production. In all regions, networking is the norm, rather than the exception. New projects are seldom stand-alone activities, but become members of existing networks or they constitute new networks in their own right.

Electronic Networking

In its time, one of the most ambitious undertakings was IDRC's support for development of CGNET, worldwide electronic network connecting member institutions of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (see the publication by Georg Lindsey et al. in the Annex). One of the more recent networking initiatives is the Pan Asia Networking program (PAN), which was implemented in February 1995. PAN provides access to regional and national information, as well as to the international sources, by strengthening the infrastructure to connect with the Internet and by offering electronic mail, bulletin board, and conferencing services. PAN aims to promote the development of information networking and communications technology in Asia, building institutional capacity to share, access, and use data and information more effectively, particularly for development research and policy formulation. Up-to-date information on PAN can be obtained via the WWW server in IDRC's Asia Office, http://www.idrc.org.sg or e-mail to PanAsia@idrc.org.sg.

Canadian Interest Group in Informatics for Development

IDRC has established the Canadian Interest Group in Informatics for Development (CIGID) to help strengthen the ability of Canadian public, private, academic, and non-governmental organizations to participate in the application of information technologies to the problems of sustainable development. CIGID also provides an effective mechanism through which IDRC can fulfil the role assigned to it by the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, which has identified IDRC as the Canadian Focal Point for UNESCO's Intergovernmental Informatics Program (IIP). A CIGID Internet discussion group has been established; this can be joined by sending a message to the address listprocessor@cunews.carleton.ca containing only the message "SUBSCRIBE CIGID ".

International Collaborative Efforts

Recognizing both the magnitude of the development task and the need to maximize the use of available international resources, IDRC tries to stimulate greater collaboration within the international development community. One mechanism for achieving this is the role played by IDRC in encouraging development agencies, including working with other donors and the United Nations system, on collaborative information activities. These include coordination of efforts (i) to disseminate information on the activities being supported by the development agencies, (ii) to explore ways of using information exchange among agencies as a means to improve program planning, and (iii) to develop innovative ways of cooperating on new initiatives in the information/communication field. Examples of these three aspects of international information collaboration are described below.

The International Network for Development Information Exchange (INDIX)

IDRC's central role in establishing the inter-agency IDRIS database (see above) led to its involvement in advising the World Bank and others on setting up similar types of multi-agency information systems that focus on particular sectors or geographical areas. These systems include, for example, Donors for African Education, and the Special Program on African Agricultural Research. It also resulted in IDRC becoming a key member of the steering group of the International Network for Development Information Exchange (INDIX). The INDIX network arose from the desire of a broad spectrum of development assistance agencies, including bilateral donors, UN specialized agencies, development banks, Non-Governmental Organizations, foundations, and others to find a more effective way of sharing information on their activities. Governments, corporations, and private individuals invest millions of dollars each year in international development. But despite their commitment of resources to a common goal, there had been little sharing of information among them. Moreover, developing-country institutions seldom had access to this kind of data. In response, membership in the INDIX network now includes more than 70 international, regional, national, and NGO development assistance agencies, plus over 150 developing-country organizations.

The most visible tool developed by INDIX for information-sharing is the Development Activity Information CD-ROM which contains some 95,000 records representing the activities of more than 200 development agencies.

No fee is necessary to become a member of INDIX. Funding for the network is provided by sales of the Development Activity Information CD-ROM, and by financial support from Sustaining Members of INDIX. Further information about INDIX, its activities and products, can be obtained from the Coordinating Unit for INDIX, which is located at IDRC (Internet: "indix@idrc.ca", or via the gopher service at gopher://indix.idrc.ca).

The "Bellanet" Initiative

IDRC's support for collaborative action on information, evident in the development of IDRIS and then INDIX, continues with the Bellanet initiative. The aim is to move beyond the passive exchange of current and archival information and, by taking advantage of the opportunities now provided by modern information and communication technologies, to utilize more interactive approaches to program planning, delivery, and management. Following discussion among several development assistance agencies in Bellagio, Italy, Bellanet was launched in January 1995 as a three-year pilot project. Described as a "Global forum for sustainable development research and capacity development", Bellanet has the following objectives:

To assist members of the development community to improve their performance, individually and collectively, in program planning, implementation, and evaluation through improved sharing of ideas, information, and experience;
To promote and achieve more concerted efforts and financial collaboration among development assistance agencies;
To improve the cost-effectiveness, impact, and relevance of individual agencies (through better networking and collaboration) and the overall donor community (through improved synergy and management of resources).

Further information can be obtained from the principal Bellanet Secretariat, which is located at IDRC, Ottawa (DBalson@idrc.ca).

WETV

The 1992 Earth Summit called for innovative uses of the mass media to help bring about a better understanding of critical issues of environment and development. Acknowledging the reach, popularity, and impact of television, IDRC has been instrumental in supporting the development and start-up of WETV. Using satellite technology, WETV is a global access television service that will provide a balance of programming from both southern and northern producers. This unique alternative service is a partnership venture among several international agencies, national broadcasters, private foundations, and non-governmental organizations. WETV will operate as a not-for-profit international corporation and will showcase diverse programming that reflects the ideas, values, and perspectives of the South as well as the North. A pilot launch of WETV is scheduled for the UN World Conference on Women, Beijing, 1995, with the formal launch of the network taking place in 1996. Further information can be obtained directly from the WETV Secretariat, which is currently housed at IDRC headquarters in Canada.

Workshops

As indicated by the number of published proceedings listed in the Annex, IDRC often supports workshops directly related to its programs. In most cases, workshops take place not at IDRC but at a relevant institution in a developing country or in conjunction with an appropriate international event. Some information-related workshops published by IDRC include:

National Information and Information Policy in Africa: Report and Proceedings of a Regional Seminar, November 1988, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (MR233e);
Converging Disciplines: Management of Recorded Information in Developing Countries, May 1989, Ottawa, Canada (MR234e);
Does the Highway Go South? Southern Perspectives on the Information Highway, September 1994, Tampere, Finland;
The Development Impact of Information and Communication Technology: Towards A Global Agenda for Collaborative Research and Action, January 1995, Cairo, Egypt.

Occasionally, a workshop might focus more on the donor community, as in the case of Information and Agenda 21: Report of an Informal Consultation on Environment, Development, and Information, April 1994, Ottawa, Canada. The latter provides an interesting example of the convening role of IDRC conferred by its substantive program experience and distinctive "non-aligned" mandate; 24 organizations, comprising a mix of international NGOs, UN agencies, foundations, and bilateral donors were able to meet on neutral ground at IDRC to review their concerns, priorities, and activities in the information field post-UNCED. For many reasons, therefore, the workshop concept will remain an important part of IDRC's program effort, and the increased use of electronic printing-on-demand likely will increase the availability of published proceedings.

Software Development: MINISIS

IDRC has maintained an active interest in software for information storage, management, and retrieval, both for use in its own Library and for applications in the developing world. In the late 1970s, IDRC saw the need for a more versatile, text-oriented computer system capable of running on the minicomputers that were beginning to appear, providing a more affordable option for developing countries and enabling them to participate more effectively in the accelerating information revolution. In the absence of suitable software, IDRC decided to construct an appropriate low-cost turnkey package, MINISIS, for use on the Hewlett- Packard 3000 minicomputer. Since then, MINISIS has established itself as a powerful multilingual tool in many different applications, including library catalogues and indexes, inventories, archives, registries, student records, legislative full text, press clippings, and more.

The MINISIS software is currently installed in over 350 organizations, including universities, government ministries, research institutions, and international organizations in more than 60 countries. Developing country organizations receive the MINISIS software, related training, and technical support directly from IDRC or from one of the national or regional MINISIS Resource Centres. Requests from developed countries are processed by commercial distributors. Regional and international MINISIS Users' Groups meet to share experiences, local applications, and provide feedback to IDRC. Newsletters and the regular Software Status Bulletin keep the user community informed of new MINISIS developments.

Responding to the needs of users who have access to increasingly powerful microcomputers, IDRC has redesigned and rewritten the MINISIS software. The new version, released earlier this year, improves the user interface, introduces significant enhancements, and allows the software to be implemented in a variety of operating platforms. Initially it will operate on the HP 3000 minicomputer and DOS-based microcomputers in both stand-alone and LAN environments. Focus is now shifting to the development of specific applications around the MINISIS software to meet particular needs of the user community. One of the first applications will be an Integrated Library System.

Newsletter: Information, Communication and IDRC

IDRC has an obligation and a desire to disseminate information about its program activities to audiences in Canada and around the world. The breadth of its publishing efforts has been described above. One additional channel focuses on dissemination of program news specifically in the field of information sciences and systems; this is the newsletter, Information, Communication and IDRC. This publication contains reports on new and ongoing projects, news of upcoming events, views of IDRC staff, and an opportunity to share experience. The hope is that the newsletter will not only inform readers, but encourage them to participate in development research in this field. The newsletter is available on request as a printed version, and is also available electronically at gopher://minisis.idrc.ca".

Looking Ahead

There are four major trends that will influence the future of documents, publications, and information systems at IDRC:

The Expanding Information Economy

The information revolution that has significantly transformed societies in the North has had relatively little impact on the South. But the situation is starting to change. Developing countries are gradually gaining more access to information technologies and networks, and are beginning to explore their implications for agriculture, industry, education, employment, governance, etc. The list is extensive and growing. Consequently, the information sector is likely to assume a higher profile in the priorities of governments and development agencies, with an associated increase in requests for donor support. Building on the experience it has gained, IDRC will continue to assign priority to this sector, but will need to maintain a focus in selected areas.

New Information Technologies

These will affect both the external and internal activities of IDRC. Within IDRC, the greatest impact will likely be in the adoption of new technologies in the following areas: for enhancing library services; for improving the efficiency of IDRC's publications program; for archiving of project reports, administrative files, and other data via CD-ROM, electronic systems, and other means; for integrating IDRC's information systems and improving access to them from the dispersed IDRC offices; for improved internal communications and conferencing; for improved communications with other development agencies and research partners; and for making more effective use of the Internet and World Wide Web for information gathering and dissemination. As for the external programs supported by IDRC, proposals for the testing and adaptation of information/communication technologies for developing-country applications will likely increase as their potential is recognized and as the growing publicity being given to the "global information infrastructure" begins to take effect and build awareness.

Decreasing Funds

At the same time as new opportunities are arising to improve IDRC's publication activities and information/communication systems, and as demand from the developing world is increasing for funding support in this sector, there are clear signs that the donor community will have less money to spend in the foreseeable future. With the global economy under pressure, and faced by budgetary problems at home, governments in the North are decreasing their allocations for overseas development assistance. Canada, and IDRC, are no exceptions. However, IDRC is embarking on a more systematic approach to diversifying its sources of funds and to generating revenues (e.g. from royalties, patents, publications, consultancy services) so that its viability as a sponsor of development research will be maintained. Within IDRC, the cost-saving potential of information/communication systems in many areas (e.g. publication production, electronic dissemination, electronic monitoring of projects, videoconferencing for international meetings, information storage options) has resulted in new investments in IDRC's information infrastructure. This will remain a high priority in a declared "knowledge-based organization" such as IDRC. At the same time, the feasibility of outsourcing, privatization, and cost-recovery for selected information services will be explored.

Increased Accountability

Linked to the trend towards less money is a climate of increasing concern over the actual impact of development aid, the effectiveness of donors, and the responsible financial management of funds. IDRC must find ways to demonstrate the value of the work in which it is engaged, and to improve its accountability to Canadians, to developing countries, and to the development community. In quantitative terms, IDRC has supported over 5,000 projects involving about 20,000 researchers in more than 100 countries. Outputs include new or improved technologies, social and economic programs, policy options, stronger institutions, trained professionals, an extensive publication record, research and information networks, and new institutional partnerships. But the challenge is to find ways of monitoring IDRC's performance objectively, assessing the development consequences, and communicating the findings effectively to concerned audiences. Research will continue into complex but powerful subjects such as demonstrating the value and impact of information on development. And IDRC's publication and information programs will be further strengthened as IDRC seeks to share the lessons being learned through the sometimes risky but potentially rewarding field of development research.

The year 1995 saw the 25th Anniversary of the creation of IDRC. Yet the vulnerability of today's world prompted IDRC Governor Sir Shridath Ramphal to remark that perhaps the Centre was 25 years ahead of its time. With growing awareness of the global connectedness of the challenges facing societies both North and South; of the need to search for innovative, equitable, and sustainable solutions to the problems of the environment and development; of the success of knowledge-based economies; and of the benefits to be derived from networking and information-sharing, the mandate and activities of IDRC -- and especially those related to the management and use of information -- are even more relevant today than they were a quarter of a century ago.

ANNEX: Some Recent IDRC Publications

Alvarez, Benjamin and Gomez, Hernando, eds. Laying the Foundation: The Institutions of Knowledge in Developing Countries. ISBN 0-88936-684-5. 215 pp.

Anton, Danilo J. Diversity, Globalization, and the Ways of Nature. ISBN 0-88936-724-8. 200 pp.

Di Lauro, A., and Brandon E. The MIBIS Manual New Edition: Preparing Records in Microcomputer-Base Bibliographic Information Systems. ISBN 0-88936-728-0. 360 pp.

Egziabher, A. G., et al. Cities Feeding People: An Examination of Urban Agriculture in East Africa. ISBN 0-88936-706-X. 146 pp.

Graham, Stephen, ed. Energy Research in Developing Countries. ISBN 0-88936-709-4. 300 pp.

Horton, Forest W. Analyzing Benefits and Costs: A Guide for Information Managers. ISBN 0-88936-721-3. 285 pp. + diskette.

Ishumi, A. G. M. 30 Years of Learning: Educational Development in Eastern and Southern Africa from Independence to 1990. ISBN 0-88936-722-1. 146 pp.

Islam, A. and Wiltshire, R., eds. Traditional Health Systems and Public Policy: Proceedings of an International Workshop, Ottawa, Canada, 2-4 March 1994. ISBN 0-88936-751-5. 192 pp.

Lavergne, R�al and Diop, Moumar-Coumba; eds. Regional Integration in West Africa: Proceedings of the International Conference organized by IDRC in Dakar, S�n�gal, 11-15 January 1993. ISBN 0-88936-712-4. 59 pp.

Lindsey, Georg, et al. CGNET Story: A Case Study of International Computer Networking. ISBN 0-88936-678-0. 127 pp.

Lonergan, S.C. and Brooks, D.B. Watershed: The Role of Fresh Water in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. ISBN 0-88936-719-1. 220 pp.

Menou, M.J., ed. Measuring the Impact of Information on Development. ISBN 0-88936-708-6. 210 pp.

Nostbakken, D. and Morrow C. eds. Cultural Expression in the Global Village. ISBN 0-88936-702-7. 191 pp.

Poole, A.D., et al. Moving People: Transport Policy in the Cities of Brazil. ISBN 0-88936-658-6. 190 pp.

The Crucible Group. People, Plants, and Patents: The impact of intellectual property on trade, plant biodiversity, and rural society. ISBN 0-88936-725-6. xxi + 118 pp.

Vernooy, R. and Kealey, K., eds. Food Systems Under Stress in Africa: African-Canadian Research Cooperation; Proceedings of a Workshop held in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 7-8 November 1993. ISBN 0-88936-723-X. 172 pp. ill

Wijeyaratne, P., et al, eds. Gender, Health, and Sustainable Development: A Latin American Perspective: Proceedings of a Workshop Held in Montevideo, Uruguay, 26-29 April 1994. ISBN 0-88936-748-5. 276 pp.

Notes

[1] May be cited as/On peut citer comme suit:

Paul McConnell and Bev Chataway, "Information and the International Development Research Centre," Government Information in Canada/Information gouvernementale au Canada, Vol. 2, no. 1.1 (summer 1995).

An expanded version of this article will be published as a chapter in the next edition of International Information: Documents, Publications, and Information Systems of International Governmental Organizations, Peter I. Hajnal (Ed), Libraries Unlimited.

[2]

Paul McConnell                       Bev Chataway
Information Sciences & Systems       Library
pmcconnell@idrc.ca                   bchataway@idrc.ca


      International Development Research Centre
      250 Albert Street, P.O. Box 8500
      Ottawa, Ontario
      Canada  K1G 3H9

[3] International Development Research Centre Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. I-19.

[4] National Archives of Canada Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 1 (3rd Supp.), as amended; Access to Information Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. A-1, as amended; Privacy Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-21, as amended.

[5] S. Akhtar, "Regional Information Networks: Some Lessons from Latin America," Information Development, vol. 6, no. 1 (1990), pp. 35-42.

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