The global research community will celebrate the International Open Access Week under the theme: Who Owns Our Knowledge? from 20 to 26 October 2025. The week highlights the importance of equitable access to technical and scientific information, encouraging reflection on how knowledge is produced, shared, and used to advance global development goals.

FAO AGRIS, an initiative of The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), embodies the principles of open access to knowledge.The platform is a global public database providing access to bibliographic information, full-text documents, and research data in the fields of food, agriculture, and related sciences. As a Digital Public Good certified by the Digital Public Goods Alliance, FAO AGRIS applies the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable), ensuring that scientific and technical knowledge flows from researchers and experts to users around the world. As an open-access system, FAO AGRIS advocates for a research ecosystem that enables innovation and informed decision-making, supporting farmers, researchers, and policymakers.

“Openness in science involves linking people, information, and data to effectively address global challenges. FAO AGRIS exemplifies this spirit by connecting institutions and individuals, thereby ensuring that valuable agricultural knowledge is accessible and can be effectively reused across regions”. Imma Subirats, FAO AGRIS Programme Manager.

This year, FAO AGRIS celebrates its 50th anniversary. Originally launched in the paper-based era, the initiative has transformed into a fully digital platform, now hosting over 10 million full-text records. Impressively, more than 60% of these records are freely accessible, reflecting FAO AGRIS’s long-standing commitment to openness and the global sharing of agricultural knowledge.

Global Reach and Impact

Today, FAO AGRIS connects more than 2,000 data providers including universities, research institutes, and government agencies, all contributing to the global accessibility of agricultural knowledge. This growing network spans 168 countries, which reflects a truly international effort to ensure that scientific, technical and academic results are shared across borders. 

With over 16 million bibliographic records, FAO AGRIS provides access to the most comprehensive and updated collections of agricultural knowledge of the world, bridging peer-reviewed and grey literature to enhance the global dissemination of information. Available in over 120 languages, the platform celebrates linguistic diversity, ensuring that agricultural knowledge is shared among researchers, students, and practitioners in every corner of the world, fostering global accessibility and collaboration. 

With over five decades of trusted service, FAO AGRIS continues to expand its content, and strengthen the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure inclusive access to knowledge. The platform stands as a cornerstone of open-access to knowledge initiatives worldwide, demonstrating how freely accessible information systems foster and accelerate research, inform policy, and foster global collaboration.

For more information and to explore FAO AGRIS, visit agris.fao.org.