FAO/COAIM-2/Inf.4

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. The Role of WAICENT

III. Mission of the Committee

IV. Terms of Reference of the WAICENT Committee

V. Membership of the Committee

VI. WAICENT Advisory Group

I. Introduction

1. One of FAO´s mandates is to "collect, analyse, interpret and disseminate information relating to nutrition, food and agriculture" ¹. Access to information on food security, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, forestry and fisheries are becoming increasingly important today´s global knowledge-based economy. The World Agricultural Information Centre (WAICENT) was established in response to the high priority accorded by FAO to (i) development of an integrated information system, making appropriate use of the latest developments in information management and technology; (ii) enhancement of access to timely and relevant technical information by FAO Members and the general public; and (iii) encouragement of FAO Members to utilise information as a key resource for development. In order to give further impetus ton FAO´s work in this area, I have decided to establish an inter-departmental committee on WAICENT, which will complement the roles of the Corporate Communication Committee² and the Information Management and Technology Committee³.

II. The Role of WAICENT

2. WAICENT is a corporate framework which integrates and harmonises standards, tools and procedures for the efficient and effective management and dissemination of high-quality information products, including relevant and reliable statistics, texts, multi-media resources, maps, etc. The target audiences for this information are internal FAO users, FAO Members and the general public.

3. Since the creation of WAICENT in 1989, there have been enormous advances in information technology and the task of managing and disseminating information in a digital environment has become increasingly complex. Two tasks, in particular, are assuming greater importance: the first is to enable better access to FAO´s rich information resources and to promote partnerships with other agricultural information networks; and the second is to assist FAO Members to build their own capacity to manage and utilise food and agricultural information.

4. WAICENT currently operates under the following guiding principles for the creation, management and dissemination of information:

• decentralised production and quality management;
• adherence to standards, rules and procedures for information management;
• compliance with technical systems architecture.

III. Mission of the Committee

5. It is expected that the Committee will enhance the sense of ownership of WAICENT by all organisational units concerned within FAO and bring about a shared corporate understanding of what WAICENT is and how it can better serve the needs of internal FAO users, FAO Members and the public at large. It will elaborate a corporate vision of how WAICENT should evolve over the medium-term and develop an organisation-wide approach to achieve that vision.

IV. Terms of Reference of the WAICENT Committee

6. The WAICENT Committee will provide policy advice, and report to the Director General in the following areas:

• defining and updating the scope and nature of WAICENT, within the context of the Organisation´s Strategy Framework and Medium-Term Plans, to ensure that it continues to meet the evolving needs of internal FAO users, FAO Members and the public at large;
• reviewing and articulating an organisation-wide approach and related development plans for the efficient and effective production, management and dissemination of information products;
• ensuring that the necessary institutional arrangements, including roles and responsibilities of units contributing to WAICENT are in place for the integration and harmonisation of information management standards, tools and procedures;
• maintaining oversight and ensuring that WAICENT priorities and plans are consistent with the organisation-wide approach.

V. Membership of the Committee

7. The membership of the WAICENT Committee will be composed of:

Chairperson: Deputy Director-General

Members:

Assistant Director-General, AF
Assistant Director-General, AG
Assistant Director-General, ES
Assistant Director-General, FI
Assistant Director-General, FO
Assistant Director-General, GI
Assistant Director-General, SD
Assistant Director-General, TC
Director, PBE
Director, OCD
Legal Counsel, LEG
Inspector-General, AUD

Corresponding Members:

Regional Representative, RAF
Regional Representative, RAP
Regional Representative, REU
Regional Representative, RLC
Regional Representative, RNE

Ex-officio members:

Director, AFI
Director,GIL (who is also the Chair, WAICENT Advisory Group)
WAICENT Manager

Secretary:   to be appointed from a Technical Department

8. The WAICENT Committee will meet as often as necessary, anticipated to be twice annually.

9. Summary minutes, including policy recommendations for the Director-General, arising from meetings of the WAICENT Committee, will be prepared in a timely manner for the consideration of Committee members and approval of the Chair. Decisions will be communicated in writing by the Chair of the Committee.

VI. WAICENT Advisory Group

10. A WAICENT Advisory Group comprised of two representatives from each Department will:

• propose items for the agenda of the WAICENT Committee;
• gather and prepare necessary background information for agenda items;
• review and comment on background briefs;
• arrange for follow-up actions in accordance with the Committee´s decisions;
• track and report on the implementation of the Director General´s policy decisions.

11. The Director GIL will chair the WAICENT Advisory Group. The WAICENT Manager and the Committee Secretary to the WAICENT Committee will be ex-officio members of the Advisory Group.

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¹ FAO Basic Texts: volume I, Article I, paragraph 1.

² DGB 99/3

³ Manual Section 145