CTA collects, disseminates and facilitates the exchange of information on research, training and innovations in the spheres of agricultural and rural development and extension for the benefit of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states. Programmes are arranged around three main themes of: strengthening information centres; promoting contact; exchange of experience among CTA partners: the provision of information on demand.
Information services and programmes (documented on WWW site) include:
(a) SDI service: literature service for researchers
(b) Question and answer service
(c) Publishing Programme: including the Spore Newsletter (in English, French and Portuguese), proceedings of seminars, reports, bibliographies and directories
(d) Library
(e) Radio and audio-visual materials, including technical information for rural radio programme producers. Samples can be downloaded from WWW
(f) Agricultural Information Resources Centres: cooproduced with the International Association of Agricultural Librarians (IAALD). Some 4900 institutions, maintained in database format but distributed in print
(g) Dissemination of Agricultural Reference Books Programme (DORA): book donation programme for agricultral education institutions
(h) CDROM donation programme
(i) Agritrade portal – news and analysis of events affecting ACP EU agricultural trade