Agro Informatics with its Various Attributes and Emergence: Emphasizing Potentiality as a Specialization in Agricultural Sciences — A Policy Framework

Abstract

Informatics is one of the important branches of Applied Sciences. It is a practicing area and also a field of study. The applications of Informatics in different areas and knowledge field has created various subjects and among these, one of important and emerging is Agricultural Informatics; which is the Information Science and Technology applications in the agriculture as well allied areas. In other words, techniques and technologies of both the fields i.e. Informatics and Agriculture lead the birth of Agro Informatics. The management and analysis of agricultural data with the help of Computing and IT may also be called as Agricultural Informatics. There are many allied nomenclatures of the field, but all are related and closely connected to each other. In short, it is also called as Agro Informatics. Initially, it was treated only as a practicing area in the agriculture, horticulture and veterinary sciences; but gradually it is a study area with different levels of programs at various universities and institutions, internationally. However, in the developed nation it is more common and widely available. Agro Informatics is an interdisciplinary field and very diverse in nature. There are many features and functions, roles due to its timely need. This is a conceptual and policy based research hence various aspects of Agro Informatics including its feature, functions, stakeholders, technologies including allied branches are mentioned. The paper also highlighted the proposed and possible programs of this field in academics in the field of Agricultural Sciences also, as an empirical and policy research.

Keywords: Information Technology, Computing, Agricultural Informatics, Agro ICT, Environmental Information Sciences, Degrees, Interdisciplinary