Republic of Iraq Ministry of Agriculture Applications of national information systems between reality and ambition Lamia Ismail Mohamed programmers May/2009

Iraq was one of the first Arab countries using information technology, we were starting to use computers in Iraq in 1968 after ten years of using it in developed countries. The applications processor was used for statistical data, as those applications need large list data, such as electricity and telephone it had been done by the Main Frame and simple software systems.

1- Computer Center of the National Electricity / Ministry of Industry. 2 - Center of the of Statistics system/ Ministry of Planning 3- National Computers Center 4- Information science center (ISC) /Scientific Research Council In order to arrange the works in state institutions and achieved more benefit, they found it was necessary for building Date-Base as following :- A Systems for account B Systems for salary C Systems for management employers affairs. D Systems for stores managements

The rules of ISC in National information were:- * Documentation of scientific researches Providing the researches with up to date information science * Participation of global information systems and help in its production These systems were:- 1-INIS global system related the International Atomic Energy Agency in the field of atomic energy and its peaceful application 2 - AGRIS system / FAO 3- CARIS system /FAO 4- ON-LINE Research to provide scientific Date-base services Registration and Saving the PhD, Ms Proposal in agris by Supervisions of FAO organization

Information technology was the most effected aspect from the sanction as the internet service did not entered Iraq yet All Scientific fields were deteriorated during eights& nineties as result of repeated wars and sanction leading to the decline of scientific and technological developments coming out of the world, which became the main advantage of information technology for today's world which led to large gap between the reality of the situation and it is not only in developed countries but the Arab and neighboring countries as well..

Development of Information technology in Iraq after2003 Information technology in Iraq nowadays shows remarkable progress trying to Promote these important and vital sectors by followings:- 1 - Initiate networks of mobile phones in the country 2 - Establishment Ministry of Science and Technology. 3 - Initiate the establishment of a national center for geographic information system in the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation linked by many centers in the ministries and state institutions have been equipped with the latest equipment and specialized work of the Center work for staff Training

4 - To link a number of ministries Intra network for the exchange of information to Be the nucleus of e-government and a wider network through which all state institutions to link with each other. 5- Expansion in the provision of the international network of the Internet for staff in state institutions in addition to the wide spread across the country. 6 – start using computer study in the school curriculum

Date-Base agricultural using in Iraq The agricultural sector accounts for an important column in the Iraqi economy and ranks second after the oil sector where the contribution of the gross domestic product, the limits of 8%, and play a significant role in community building and employing up to 28% after the services sector There was no agricultural databases currently accepted concept, but there had been attempts to develop regulations dealing with the manner of data allows data retrieval and delivery service for researchers and users.

The use of agricultural information technology greatly help in the development and organization of the agricultural sector by: _ * Improve production efficiency * Marketing of Agricultural Products * The service of scientific research in agriculture. * Information in water management * Enhance the performance of agro-technical personnel. * Remote sensing in the provision of agricultural information. Agricultural field was subjected besides the effect of sanction &war to repeated explosions that cause to destroy agricultural information data. Ministry of Agriculture today is beginning to establish comprehensive and accurate data base about the reality of animal production in scientific bases to promote advancement in this important and vital sector. But this data-base is still in its early stages

Future prospects Keep up with calls for wide renaissance in the use of databases information technology-based applications and experiences in the world to establish and update databases for all sectors of agricultural, The Ministry of Agriculture aims to set up and the building of these rules must be founded on solid and serve this vital sector. We suggest the following: - * Initiate national agricultural information center Providing the researches with up date information of agricultural science & documentation of all the agricultural research at the country level Develop a database of plant protection

* The construction of agricultural data to include information on agricultural resources (land, water, human) and information on agricultural activities located in each country and the volume of production for each activity and the average productivity and prices for each of the prevailing agricultural production and agricultural production. * Specialized database of water resources through which they can control quantities of water for irrigation and the application of the correct method of irrigation * specialized database palm sector

* The development of a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) GIS- related units in the departments of agriculture statistics system in accordance with ARC IEW that are linked to a network computer in order to obtain the data accurately and rapidly within the geographical area because of its importance of the GI S system and its integration in the management and analysis of relevant information and to show the spatial dimension and characteristics, such as information, including topographic and natural features such as vegetables and the limits of the beaches and mountains, or man-made * continuous training of staff working in the field of information technology, as well as to other beneficiaries users * attention to electronic sites that belong to the Ministry of Agriculture and continuously updated