14 August 2024, Malawi: The importance of the Malawi Digital Plant Health Service (MaDiPHS) Data Catalogue has been highlighted as a key resource towards greater FAIR data in the agricultural sector at a workshop attended by various stakeholders in Malawi.
Henry Mibei, CABI’s Manager, Digital Development, and Boma Beddie-Memberr, CABI’s Project Officer, Data Policy & Practise – Digital Development, presented at the three-day event aimed at building capacity in metadata management.
The MaDiPHS Data Catalogue – a vital resource built using the open-source Comprehensive Knowledge Archive Network (CKAN) API – is an example of the power of open-source tools in enhancing data management practices.
Help farmers incorporate an IPM approach
Held as part of the NIBIO-led project implemented in partnership with CABI ‘Establishing a digital plant health service in Malawi,’ funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), the MaDiPHS Data Catalogue will ensure that the project partners and stakeholders can easily submit and share their datasets and knowledge resources (information on how to diagnose, prevent and manage pests, diseases, and weeds). These resources and datasets will be used to develop pest models that inform plant health advice to farmers in Malawi.
Agriculture is the biggest industry in Malawi with over 80% of the 19.65 million people engaged in subsistence farming where maize, cassava and sweet potatoes are the main crops. Maize is the most important crop for food security but is blighted by pests including the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda).
Mr Mibei said, “When it comes to harnessing the power of metadata, ensuring data is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) – through efficient Metadata Management is key.
“Effective FAIR-Enabling tools and resources is important to implementing and achieving this.
“The MaDiPHS Data Catalogue serves as a FAIR-Enabling resource to achieving FAIR data in the Agriculture sector in Malawi. It reinforces how embedding CABI’s soon-to-launch FAIR Process Framework approach for metadata management will encourage a healthy data culture within sector domains.”
Diverse group of Data Stewards from various organizations
The Workshop brought together a diverse group of researchers and data scientists from various organizations such as the Ministry of Agriculture (including DARS, DAES, DCD, and DAPS), LUANAR, DCCMS, IITA, TLC, and NSO.
Ms Beddie-Memberr said the workshop was very engaging and demonstrated the transformative potential of open-source data management tools.
Ms Beddie-Memberr said, “CKAN’s open-source nature played a pivotal role in the delivery of the MaDiPHS Data Catalogue. CKAN is renowned for its user-friendly interface, making it accessible even to those with limited technical expertise.
“It provides a robust platform for creating data portals, enabling users to easily publish, share, and find data. This simplicity and flexibility were crucial in ensuring that our workshop objectives were met.
“The open-source model also allows for continuous improvement and customization, ensuring that the system evolves to meet the users’ needs.”
She added that by equipping participants with the skills to navigate, manage, and update their metadata effectively, the foundation was laid for a more organized and accessible data ecosystem within the agriculture ecosystem in Malawi.
“As data continues to play a crucial role in decision-making and research, the knowledge shared during this workshop will undoubtedly contribute to more informed and impactful outcomes in the region,” she said.
Centralized repository for agricultural and related datasets
As part of the workshop, participants appreciated how the catalogue serves as a centralized repository for agricultural and related datasets, streamlining access and management.
They were guided through the catalogue’s interface, learning how to navigate its various sections and exploring the types of data and resources available within the catalogue and hands-on sessions on how to perform effective searches within the catalogue.
One of the key skills also imparted was how to independently manage and organize metadata entries in the catalogue. This is essential for maintaining a well-structured data repository that supports easy retrieval and use.
At the end of the workshop, participants were equipped with the skills to independently update their metadata entries of the datasets for their organizations.
“This empowerment is vital for sustaining the catalogue’s accuracy and relevance over time – as well as improving on existing data sharing structures in the agriculture sector in Malawi,” Ms Beddie-Memberr said.
CABI is leading on data organization and management as part of the project and is focused on enhancing access to data and information resources as part of the MaDiPHS ecosystem.
It is responsible for a range of tasks including the mapping of data ecosystems, identifying key data sets and brokering access to the data held by data holders and ensuring that data is shared with clear and appropriate licences.
The service is owned and managed by the Malawian government.
(For Latest Agriculture News & Updates, follow Krishak Jagat on Google News) (+80 Million Farming Audience Visits Krishak Jagat’s Hindi Website – Click Here for Website)
