This paper presents the components of the proposed Information System and explains the most qualifying elements related to them. This preparatory work, along with the field observation, will enable an appropriate system analysis to be undertaken to match identified needs (in terms of objectives and requirements) with industry standards in terms of information technology. For a better understanding of the technical terminology used in this report a glossary of computer terms is given in Appendix 2.
The primary objective of SIPAM is to provide the MEDRAP Project, and through it the countries adhering to and associated with the Project, with an instrument and methodology for rapid and treated access to data and information of different types and from different sectors and sources. This technology will allow all users to establish their own “made-to-measure” research procedures tailored each time to suit their requirements.
A by-product of this System will be the exchange of data and information between peripherals (Countries/End-user Centres) and the Centre (FAO/MEDRAP Project) putting in motion a process of feedback. The System will be a strong boost to standardizing aquaculture terminology and contents (units and measurements) in the Region.
In order to rationalize the development implementation of the System enhance the possibility of its success and increase its use by and interest of all parties concerned, the System will be made of five basic modules:
- To permit each country access to the regional data, the Project will design and implement a Regional Sub-System and put at the disposal of the countries available information in a readily accessible manner. This module will be fed with non-confidential data and information of regional interest which each country has put at the disposal of the project.
- The National Sub-System will provide SIPAL with direct access to national databases. However, this option will be available only for the countries where a national information system exists and the national coordination staff are able to develop the appropriate communication protocols. Alternatively, this module will contain the same software as the Regional Sub-System managing data at a lower level of aggregation and having all the typical functions of data entry.
- Alongside Regional Sub-system, the Project will develop an FAO-HQ Sub-System containing and managing some of the FAO officially-distributed data-bases. As long as SIPAM is managed under an FAO project it will be the responsibility of that project to provide/acquire such products.
- As a complementary source of information, an Extended SIPAM sub-System containing information from other data sources external to MEDRAP and FAO will be developed. In this module data from commercial and non-commercial remote networks may also be considered if found necessary and useful for the completeness of SIPAM. For the Prototype development, the Project should contact and make agreement with the FAO GLOBEFISH to access its remote database, capture data/information related to aquaculture, then re-compile and re-distribute them throughout the SIPAM network.
- An Analytical/Modelling Sub-System will be added as a complementary module where several 'ad hoc' tools especially developed for SIPAM will be gathered to assist investment planning, project formulation, project analyses, etc.
- The Data Processing Sub-System will enable the user to process and critically analyse the information retrieved through SIPAM. In fact, one of the characteristics of the System is that it will not be dependent upon pre-determined models. This module will therefore contain all the commercial software which the user might need to carry out the analytical studies (word processor, spreadsheet, DBMS, project management tool, graphics, statistical package, etc.).
- The system Configuration Module will assist in configuring SIPAL, according to the different hardware/software platforms where it is installed. It will also contain and manage the overall codification system based on a prefixed Reference File System.
The overall SIPAM System will work using data and information in a structured and standardized mode to allow storage, exchange and aggregation for textual, analytical and graphical manipulation.
Figure 1 presents the Sipam System Overview and Figure 2 gives au outline of a typical retrieval process around which the System will be designed.
It is worth underlining the principle that all MEDRAP and associated countries of whether they are “data donors” or “information recipients”, will be provided with the same Regional Information System.
The first qualifying characteristic of the proposed System is the new basic role of the end user in its design and implementation in a regional context. It is emphasized that the System will be mainly designed by the users themselves, based on their concrete needs, and will not follow the normal logic of data dissemination per se.
The second peculiarity is that each country will be free to accept the SIPAM Data Model or to manage its own data bases or information systems. The Project may eventually be asked to assist interested countries in developing data entry procedures, or automatic data capture interfaces, in downloading/uploading national data (manually or automatically) into the Regional Sub-System.
A third characteristic is that countries will not be burdened with requests for additional data collection operations to feed this System. However, it is clear that if a country/institution has no on-going data collection system covering items of information within a certain application, the Regional Sub-System (aggregation of national information) will not contain its data.
