AGRICOLA IND 92017555; Presented at the VIII World Congress of IAALD, May, 1990, Budapest, Hungary, Agricultural libraries and information centers in the Philippines are found in academic institutions. The greatest number of end users of agricultural information are the extension workers and the farmers. These are the groups wherein the downstream flow of information from basic research should be reached. The extension workers and the farmers are the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture (DA), which has no mandate or jurisdiction over the academic institutions. The Agricultural Libraries Association of the Philippines (ALAP), as a professional organization, is bringing the information sources of these institutions to the final users of agricultural information, the extension workers and the farmers. ALAP is cooperating with the Regional Applied Communication Offices, a joint undertaking of the different government offices in harnessing and coordinating the different information activities. As a professional organization the ALAP brings together not only the librarians but also the resources of the libraries of private and government institutions. A regional approach on information awareness and information delivery is adopted to make information more accessible to the end users. Information needs for each region differ considering the crops grown and the development program of the region. The technical assistance that ALAP is extending enhances the information capabilities of small libraries.
AGRICOLA IND 92017545; Presented at the VIII World Congress of IAALD, May, 1990, Budapest, Hungary, The mid-term review of the Fifth Malaysia Plan (1986-1990) has stated that emphasis will be placed on accelerating transfer fo technology to small holders to improve their productivity and efficiency. Technology transfer can be achieved through publications, newspapers, radio and television networks and interpersonal methods as exemplified by the Agricultural Information Dissemination Programme launched in 1983 by the Ministry of Agriculture which has contributed to increased farmers' awareness of new agricultural technologies. Communication through the printed media can be tailored to specific clientele needs if their demography, psychological response, literacy and real information demands are understood. The advent of information technology has benefited Malaysia in the transfer of technology by reducing costs in terms of time. This is seem in the rapidity with which information can be mass produced for dissemination by using desktop publishing which further allows information transfer though the printed media to be expedited, thus bringing to the farmers new information quickly. This approach to publication is not only more cost effective, but faster.
