Hyderabad-based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) on Thursday launched EXPLOREit (exploreit.icrisat.org), which makes large volumes of agricultural scientific knowledge and information easily accessible by the public.
“We are doubly excited – not only have we given easier access to all of Icrisat’s 40 years of scientific research through EXPLOREit, but we have achieved this through the MultiProfiler concept, a revolutionary way of making information accessible,” Icrisat director general, William D Dar, stated in a press release.
According to Icrisat, the MultiProfiler concept used to develop EXPLOREit firstly identifies categories by which people come looking for information. This forms the basis of the multiple navigations as each category has its own navigation and tabs with information.
“We found that typical websites are too restrictive in giving access to information, and do not present the information in ways that are easy for people to view the detail of the content. Icrisat’s new MultiProfiler concept provides information through multiple navigations and creates easy to view profiles on the subject areas,” explained Joanna Kane-Potaka, Icrisat director of strategic marketing and communication.
Dar said sharing publicly-funded agricultural information in the most accessible way was critically important to achieve the institute's agricultural development goals of reducing rural poverty, increasing food security, improving human health and nutrition, and ensuring more sustainable management of natural resources.
