ITOCA-SA

ITOCA is aimed at providing, promoting and building capacity for scientists, researchers and information professionals on the use of electronic resources in Sub Sahara Africa (SSA). Established in February 1999, ITOCA’s main thrust is providing the research and academic communities with access to up-to-date affordable access to published scientific scholarly literature and develop required relevant skills. This is achieved through:

• Undertaking and funding outreach programs in ICT and related activities
• Holding institutional and national training workshops, seminars and capacity building programmes
• Assisting benefiting institutions develop ICT programs and seek funding internationally to implement these programs
• Provide technical support to implemented programs at participating institutions

Through access to up-to-date, internationally published scientific literature, developing countries stand to benefit in terms of improved research and development programs which lead to increased food production and food security. ITOCA provides vehicles aimed at bridging the digital divide between the developed and developing countries in the fields of health and agriculture and related sciences.

Background Many agricultural and medical libraries in developing countries have not received any learned journals in over ten years. Other such libraries have been destroyed by war or economic and/or political havoc. Without access to current scientific information, scientists and doctors struggle - to keep up with advances in science and technology, to publish their own findings in peer-reviewed journals, to update their teaching curricula, to find funding, and in many other areas. The demand for access to scientific literature in developing countries has gone unfulfilled for many years, and has led to the isolation of a generation of scientists from their peers.

Currently, the organization runs four major programs in sub-Sahara Africa: TEEAL, AGORA, HINARI and OARE funded through grants from Cornell University, FAO, WHO, and CTA of Netherlands.