The Consortium for e-Resources in Agriculture (CeRA) was established with the aim of providing access to relevant and quality e-resources to the agricultural research community in India.

The primary objective of CeRA is to ensure that researchers, scientists, and students have access to up-to-date and reliable information to support their research activities.

To achieve this objective, CeRA has undertaken various activities that include the acquisition and subscription to e-resources, the creation of an online portal for accessing these resources, and the organization of training programs to enhance the capacity of researchers in accessing and utilizing these resources effectively. The consortium has also established partnerships with publishers and content providers to ensure that the e-resources are relevant and meet the needs of the agricultural research community.

CeRA’s online portal provides access to a range of e-resources such as journals, books, conference proceedings, and databases. The portal is user-friendly and allows researchers to search for relevant information across multiple databases simultaneously. It also provides access to a range of analytical tools that enable researchers to analyze and manipulate data.

Another important activity undertaken by CeRA is the organization of training programs for researchers, scientists, and students. These training programs are designed to enhance the capacity of researchers to access and utilize e-resources effectively. CeRA also organizes workshops and seminars to create awareness about the importance of e-resources in agricultural research.

To ensure that its objectives are met, CeRA has established a governance structure that includes a Governing Council, an Executive Council, and a Technical Committee. The Governing Council provides guidance and oversight to the consortium, while the Executive Council is responsible for the day-to-day management of its activities. The Technical Committee is responsible for the selection and acquisition of e-resources and the management of the online portal.

The Consortium for e-Resources in Agriculture (CeRA) has played a vital role in providing access to quality and relevant e-resources to the agricultural research community in India. In addition to its current activities, CeRA has plans to expand its services to reach more researchers, scientists, and students in the future.

One of the plans of CeRA is to increase its partnerships with more publishers and content providers to ensure that the e-resources available on its online portal stay relevant and up-to-date. The consortium also plans to add more analytical tools to its portal to enable researchers to analyze and manipulate data more effectively.

CeRA is also planning to enhance its training programs by providing more online training courses that will be accessible to researchers, scientists, and students across India. The consortium plans to develop a comprehensive training program that will include the use of e-resources in research, data analysis, and other relevant topics.

Another plan of CeRA is to expand its reach to more agricultural institutions in India. The consortium plans to create more awareness about the importance of e-resources in agricultural research by organizing more workshops and seminars across the country. This initiative will help to increase the usage of e-resources, not just in research but also in teaching and learning.

Conclusion:

CeRA is an important initiative that has contributed significantly to the development of the agricultural research community in India. Its activities have ensured that researchers, scientists, and students have access to relevant and quality e-resources to support their research activities. The consortium’s partnerships with publishers and content providers, its user-friendly online portal, and its training programs have all contributed to the success of its objectives. CeRA has been successful in achieving its primary objective of providing access to quality e-resources to the agricultural research community in India. Its plans to expand its services will undoubtedly increase its impact on the research community and contribute significantly to the development of the agricultural sector in India.