The advent of the Information Age has thrown open new challenges and opportunities for Indian Agriculture. The Vastness and diversity of our agriculture are reflected by the fact that it caters to the incredibly diverse habits and practices of our agrarian population.
The new era call for prompt and efficient infrastructure, better resource management, and competitiveness of the existing agricultural production system. Agricultural Information is vital to fulfilling these. Quick access to information at the global level through electronic media thus provides a way to tackle future challenges of Indian Agriculture.
A beginning was made by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, enabling agricultural institutions to get electronically connected through E-mail facilities and Local Area Networks.
The Agricultural Knowledge Management Unit came into being in the terminal years of the VIII plan using funds from the National Agricultural Research Project. The goal of the AKMU is to strengthen Information Management Culture using modern tools within the National Agricultural Research Information System (NARS) so that agricultural research becomes more efficient and effective..