Proceedings of an International Workshop on Harmonization of Databases for GIS Analysis of Cropping Systems in the Asia Region,18-19 Aug 1997, ICRISAT-Patancheru, India.

Geographic information systems (GIS) have come a long way from obscurity in the 1980s to now become commonplace in universities, international research institutions, government departments, and private businesses where the technology is used for a wide range of applications. In the last few years, its application has been increasing in agricultural research and development. The International Workshop on Harmonization of Databases for GIS Analysis of Cropping Systems in the Asia Region, held 18-19 Aug 1997 at ICRISAT, Patancheru, India examined the current status of available software options, database requirements, availability of data, database storage and exchange procedures, options for GIS outputs and optimization of regional interactions in the use of GIS for cropping system analysis with respect to Asia. GIS specialists from international agricultural research centers (IARCs) and national agricultural research systems (NARS) of Asia reviewed state-of-the-art know-how in using GIS as a research tool for the characterization of target environments, soil, water and nutrient management, integrated pest and disease management, and sustainable land-use systems. The workshop focussed on three basic questions: "what information is available?", "in what form is the information available?", and "in what form should the GIS output be?" Recommendations were made on the effective use of GIS and on the possibility of harmonizing datasets for common use by IARCs and NARS. The workshop was followed by a hands-on training program on the use of GIS in analysis of cropping systems of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The country case studies prepared during this training program will be published as a separate volume. The present publication includes status papers describing GIS as a research tool, types of GIS software available and its use in different institutions.

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