Access to agricultural research in Bangladesh

TEEAL (The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library), established in 1999, is a programme of Cornell University Library's Albert R. Mann Library, in partnership with leading publishers, to provide access to agricultural research literature. With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and in cooperation with Sathguru Management Consultants, TEEAL sets are being placed in universities and research institutions in Bangladesh and training is being provided in the use of electronic research.

TEEAL contains almost 500,000 articles from more than 350 highly ranked research journals in agriculture and related biological sciences. Universities, colleges, research institutes, government ministries and policymakers in 110 low-income countries with limited or no internet connectivity can access the research literature through TEEAL help improve the agricultural sector of eligible countries. TEEAL's searchable database offers direct access to full-text materials without internet connectivity and is easy to install and use. TEEAL is compatible with a standalone computer or multiple user workstations and is highly recommended for use on local area networks.

Currently 6 institutes in Bangladesh have already received TEEAL including Soil Resource and Development Institute (SRDI), Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI), Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) and over 200 researchers, academicians, librarians and students have been trained on the use of this database. Most recently the Sher E Bangla Agricultural University (SAU) received the TEEAL database and a one-day training workshop was conducted.

On this occasion Prof. Md. Shadat Ullah, VC of SAU said, "In this new age of advancement of ICT we all need to focus and use the opportunity provided by TEEAL to enrich our knowledge and further our research."  

Joy Paulson, Director, TEEAL Project said, "The TEEAL Project is very pleased for the opportunity to be able to support the placement of TEEAL sets in eligible institutions in Bangladesh and to provide the opportunity for training in the use of e-resources in partnership with Sathguru Management Consultants.  It is our hope that greater access to agricultural research literature will lead to agricultural innovations, increased research, and increased opportunities for scholars from Bangladesh to more fully participate in the global agricultural research community."

Speaking about TEEAL, K. Vijayraghavan, Chairman of Sathguru Management Consultants, which is the regional coordinator for TEEAL said, "We hope the agricultural research community of Bangladesh would immensely benefit with the access of TEEAL and would help increase innovation in the sector. The student and research community can now easily access world class research material even when they are constrained with internet connectivity." 

TEEAL was founded on the belief that long-term improvements in food security and agricultural development would not be possible without giving scientists better access to current research. It is a searchable, offline, digital library available to public and non-profit institutions in developing countries.

Please contact for more information: 
Technical- Nadeed Gaikwad (E: teeal@sathguru.com, M: +8801940700083) 
Media- Md. Arif Hossain (E: mdarif.hossain@cornell.edu, M: +8801705780206)