August 19, 2009. Cornell University’s Albert R. Mann Library will increase access to The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL) database for researchers and students in sub-Saharan Africa, supported by a $1.8 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.IAALD conference in Accra with Cornell University Staff and ITOCA staff
The goal of the project is to strengthen the scientific foundation for agriculture research and education in sub-Saharan Africa by providing 115 institutions in 14 countries access to more than 140 key agricultural journals.
This three-year grant will also reduce the cost of TEEAL by 50 percent, making the program more affordable for institutions in every eligible country in the developing world. Additionally, TEEAL’s staff will assist with installation; train students, librarians, and faculty; act as liaisons with publishers; and promote the program among institutional leaders, librarians and collaborative organizations.
In institutions where TEEAL is currently available in Africa, it has proved to be one of the most-used electronic resource of agricultural researchers, significantly improving the speed and quality of research. By increasing TEEAL’s reach, more researchers will be able to access, localize and disseminate relevant knowledge to farmers within their communities.
This grant is part of the foundation’s Agricultural Development initiative, which is working with a wide range of partners in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia to provide millions of small farmers in the developing world with tools and opportunities to boost their yields, increase their incomes, and build better lives for themselves and their families. The foundation is working to strengthen the entire agricultural value chain—from seeds and soil to farm management and market access—so that progress against hunger and poverty is sustainable over the long term.
Reference
Cornell Press Release 19/08 Cornell Library Program to Help Strengthen Agricultural Research in sub-Saharan Africa. New Funding Allows Agricultural Research Database to Reach New Institutions
