For the past 30 years, International Agriculture Research Centers (IARC) have conducted research on food security and policy and creating new varieties of crops to meet the demands of a growing and changing world population. Recently, IARC have begun to use and develop GIS as part of ongoing research and planning activities. The use of GIS at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is one example of how this technology is changing the way agronomists and economists are approaching research questions. This paper discusses: (1) why GIS have become an important tool for IARC and how GIS are being constructed to meet the needs of these Centers and (2) provides an example of the type of research being undertaken in the rice growing regions of Asia.
Lee D. Hunt
Esri
Joe Vieira
Esri