AGORA (Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture)

AGORA is one of the four programmes making up Research4Life (R4L). The goal of Research4Life is to reduce the knowledge gap between high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries by providing affordable access to critical scientific research. The other three Research4Life programmes are Hinari, OARE and ARDI, covering research in health, environment, and development and innovation.

AGORA was launched in 2003 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in partnership with Cornell University  and up to 70 of the world’s leading science publishers.

AGORA/R4L provides free or low cost access to peer-reviewed journals and e- books in agriculture and related biological, environmental, social and other research domains, with main purpose to improve the quality and effectiveness of agricultural research, education and training in low- and middle-income countries.  Per early 2017, AGORA provided access to up to 6,500 journals & 22,000 books. AGORA is about opening access, and includes many open access materials, but is not itself an open access initiative. However, Open Access and AGORA need to  be seen as complementary initiatives.

Institutions in 72 of the world’s poorest countries receive free access to journal and book content via Research4Life. Institutions in a further 45 countries low cost access - pay US $1,500 per year  for a subscription to the Research4Life content – an effective discount of over 99.9%

To register with the AGORA programme kindly click here.

With research output currently booming in Africa, Asia and Eastern European countries, there is great potential for research to be promoted and ‘translated’ through AGORA into innovation across many sectors.

Click on Access Content on the AGORA home page.  To search full-text inside AGORA, you can use Summon - AGORA’s Google-like search engine. Depending on how vague specific your search is, you’ll be linked directly to scores of resources that match your keywords. You will be reminded to Login to AGORA to access full-text and more content.may need to log in to access full-text.

Some results may be restricted according to country and institution (check your access to the content by clicking on the ‘check access’ tab).

Through Forums on Open Data and Open Science - being promoted at the international level by FAO - stakeholders and target groups can enhance their skills and capacities concerning use of AGORA and the International Information System for the Agricultural Science and Technology (AGRIS), to access to and make best use of online, peer‐reviewed literature in agriculture and related sectors.

Click here to learn more about AGORA

Contact AGORA at: [email protected]