Agro Informatics Emphasizing its Potentiality as a Full-Fledged Degree Programs: International Context and Indian Potentialities

Abstract

Agricultural Informatics or Agricultural Information Science is the combination of two major and important subject’s viz. ‘Agricultural Science’ and ‘Informatics/Information Science’. This is an interdisciplinary subject and importantly the two major branches from which this is evolved is also bearing interdisciplinary nature. The uses of IT, Computing, or general scientific Documentation is common in almost all the areas and subjects; and as far as agriculture is concerned the documentation and general information management principles were common initially. Gradually like other subjects, Agricultural Informatics also become developed as a field of practice to cater to the need of Agricultural sectors by providing information, IT and technological support. There are various reasons for the introduction of Agricultural Informatics. Initially, it was responsible for information management activities related to the Agriculture and allied areas. Gradually this is become more applied and with diverse in nature. In pre-production activities to postproduction, Agricultural Informatics today become an important practicing field and as well as a field study in major international universities. Even in many developing countries like in India also Agricultural Informatics become a field of study. The field is available with this nomenclature and in other allied nomenclatures. In some context it is noted that the field is available only in some of the streams viz. science or technology, and in some context as a specialization. However, there is a potentiality in offering the field Agricultural Informatics as a branch in other areas, both Indian and International context. This paper is conceptual in nature and deals with such potentialities with a brief overview on Agricultural Informatics including evolution, features and role, and importance.