On May 24 and 25, 1995, the Vigyan Bhawan at New Delhi was witness to the coming together of two scientific communities dedicated to interests seemingly unrelated: agriculture and informatics. The conference on Informatics for Sustainable Agricultural Development, 1995 (ISDA-95) in which Agricultural Scientists and Informatics Professionals met to discuss ways and means to promote agriculture through the use of informatics, marked a milestone in the Country's endeavour to break away from the shakles of tradition and take to modern technology in search of development. The significance of ISDA-95 lay in the action plan it chalked out for application of informatics for sustainable development in agriculture. This action plan translates into a set of recommendations classified into three broad categories:
- IT Infrastructure Requirements: Modernization by means of computers and maximum utilization of computer-communication networks; sharing of library resources, using CDR/ databases; encouraging Agricultural Extension Officers and Field Officers to use palm-top computers; and networking of institutes.
- Evaluation, Monitoring and Policy: Out of the total agriculture budget at least three per cent to be spent on informatics and network support; integrated Information system to be developed for the 16 sub-areas identified and integrated database to be developed in each state.
- Manpower and Training: IT-based manpower training for all agricultural extension officers; inclusion of compulsory course on Informatics in all Agriculture University courses.