Annual Report 1996

Research Support Division

The Research Support Division has been operating at near-full capacity during 1996. The Division provides a broad range of support for research including computing, publications, information and GIS services. In addition to having most of the requisite skills in-house or readily available by out-sourcing, we have found that good teamwork is crucial. Achievements for this year include the launching of our first

CD-ROM publication and the implementation of the Management Information System (MIS). Both have demonstrated the ability of the research support team to operate effectively in, and take advantage of, the new information era. The creation of a CIFOR homepage on the world-wide web has increased our capacity to make information available more quickly, efficiently and to a wider audience.

The CD-ROM publishing initiative began with a substantial investment in software, hardware and training in 1995. Our first experimental CD-ROM publication, The Manual of Forest Fruits, Seeds and Seedlings, was produced during the year. Various techniques to convert text and graphics into digital form were tested in order to achieve the finest possible resolution.

After a year of preparation, we began implementing the Management Information System this year. This MIS is a system focused on project- and task-related data and will eventually be linked with the Financial Information System (FIS). It is designed to be transparent to all CIFOR staff, enhancing the accessibility to information without neglecting the need for financial and personnel confidentiality.

The CIFOR library continues to distribute our publications to almost 400 forestry and related libraries and information services all over the world. Many of these maintain a publications exchange arrangement with CIFOR. During 1996, eighteen forestry libraries in Asia and the Pacific received free subscriptions to TREE-CD and CAB International document delivery services coupons to obtain copies of articles. Along with other CGIAR institutions, CIFOR became a member of FAO's research database on agriculture (AGRIS) in 1996. Our library will input details of CIFOR publications to the AGRIS database for world-wide access.

The number of publications resulting from CIFOR's work in 1996 grew substantially (see Appendices 1 and 2). Two monographs, five occasional papers, six working papers and a number of ad hoc publications were produced. The quarterly CIFOR News was distributed to over 5,000 individuals and institutions world-wide. The publication of CIFOR's Strategy for Collaborative Forestry Research and numerous collaborative works have raised the profile of CIFOR with our partners. All Occasional Papers, as well as the CIFOR News, are progressively being made available on the webpage. In addition, all CIFOR publications to date will soon be published on one CD with annual updates.