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Published on
12.03.25
In a series of conversations with CGIAR Knowledge Management teams, Valentina De Col from ICARDA spoke with Lea Delos Reyes, former Specialist for Library and Information and Knowledge Systems at IRRI. Their discussion highlighted CGIAR and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)’s partnership on two important initiatives that facilitate sharing data and research outputs in the agriculture sector: AGRIS and AGROVOC . AGRIS is a key bibliographic database for agriculture and nutrition, while AGROVOC is a multilingual thesaurus of agricultural terms. Although Lea has since left IRRI, this conversation highlights her contributions to IRRI, particularly in her work on AGRIS and AGROVOC.
What benefits does IRRI gain from having its content indexed in AGRIS?
Lea: One of the greatest benefits is the enhanced visibility and accessibility of our research outputs. We have contributed to AGRIS for many years, enabling IRRI researchers, scientists, and agricultural professionals worldwide to access our publications. This is particularly valuable for rice researchers, as AGRIS helps extend our reach beyond institutional boundaries, amplifying the impact of our work. Additionally, AGRIS stores some of IRRI’s older records, helping us preserve our institutional legacy data.
Do you think it is important for CGIAR to share research outputs through AGRIS? Why?
Lea: AGRIS is crucial in making CGIAR’s collective research more accessible globally. One area where we could improve is tracking engagement. Enhancing our ability to assess the reach and impact of our research through AGRIS—perhaps by strengthening analytics—could provide valuable insights, such as whether we are effectively reaching our target community.
What types of knowledge content does IRRI produce and publish?
Lea: IRRI publishes journal articles on agronomy, plant sciences, soil science, genetics, and horticulture. Most of our publications are…