Information technology axis has for long played a pivotal role in valorising the scientific outputs of IFP. As this continues to happen, this axis has taken a proactive role in the last decade to assimilate, organise, help analyse biodiversity information and geographical data as a systematic effort. This is reflected in IFP’s leading role in building the Western Ghats Portal [1], the India Biodiversity Portal [2], Tropical weeds portal [3] and the Assam Biodiversity Portal [4]. The significance of the open source, modular technology platform that powers these various portals is its integration of spatial, species, scientific literature and citizen science modules.
All these capabilities and served as open data will help in effective biodiversity education, science and conservation. We also continue to explore and experiment with new technologies in handling multidisciplinary data given that IFP is not only a rich repository of historical collections such as saiva manuscripts but is also constantly producing data in ecology, social sciences and humanities. The challenge and interest lies in integrating these into appropriate and meaningful technology platforms and applications, in which we are fully committed.
[1] https://thewesternghats.indiabiodiversity.org/
[2] https://indiabiodiversity.org/