Agricultural Services -  Agricultural Information Division

MANDATE

To update and manage agricultural databases with a view to provide timely and reliable statistics/information on food and agriculture for policy formulation, strategic planning, decision-making and research and for the farming community at large.

RESOURCES
The structure of the Agricultural Information Division (AID) is illustrated below. As a support services division within the Agricultural Services, the AID manages 4 units at Réduit.

1. Agricultural Database Unit (DBU)
The Agricultural Database Unit is a compiler and disseminator of agricultural statistics .The main stakeholders are the Agricultural Research and Extension Unit (AREU), Agricultural Policy and Analysis Unit (APAU), University students, secondary school students, private companies, other divisions of the Ministry, members of the public and various International bodies.
The Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security is a major disseminator and user of agricultural statistics. Policy makers need reliable and timely information on the agricultural sector in order to ensure food security and for decision-making in agricultural production.

The Database Unit (DBU) was set up in January 1999 through FAO Project TCP/MAR/8821 - Improvement of Agricultural Statistics System in Mauritius. The latter was designed with the assistance of FAO and implemented at the Agricultural Information Division (AID). The project was completed in December 1999. Since then, the DBU of the AID continues to update data. The operational aspects involve inputting, processing, storing and retrieving data. The objective of the project is to provide reliable and timely information on food and agriculture.

2.Library and Documentation Unit

The Library and Documentation Unit provides agricultural information to library users including all staff of the Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security, research staff of the Agricultural Research and Extension Unit (AREU), students from the University of Mauritius and college students. The Unit has a collection of around 8,500 books and 1,000 volumes of periodicals and reports, some 2,760 documents as its Mauritiana collection for reference and various documents on microfiche, slides, photos, video cassettes, posters and some 38 CD-ROMs on various agricultural subjects. An in-house database has been set up using a generalized information storage and retrieval system software for quick retrieval of information from the collection of its resources. This is being maintained at the Unit by regular updating. Internet facility available at the Unit allows retrieval of updated information.

3. Audiovisual Unit
The Audiovisual Unit provides public address facilities and audiovisual support to the various Divisions of the Ministry during seminars, workshops and agricultural shows. The Unit also offers a photographic service for taking pictures on agricultural activities of the Ministry and maintains an archive consisting of pictures of agricultural interest.

4. Computer Network Unit

The Computer Network Unit (CNU) was created in February 2001 within the Agricultural Information Division to host the database of the Agricultural Management Information Systems (AMIS). The following modules of the AMIS are/will be hosted on the server of the CNU:

Land Conversion Permits System	Operational
Livestock Information System	Operational
The Stores System	Being processed

The role of the CNU is to act as a facilitator in the computerization projects of the various Divisions of the Ministry with the exception of the Cane Planters and Millers Arbitration and Control Board and parastatal bodies. In addition, its staff is called upon to provide timely support services with regard to the following: Database and Network Administration, updating of the Ministry's website, small in-house application software (development and maintenance) and first level technical support to users of PCs (software and hardware).