Updated annually and offered on the Internet and in CD-Rom format, the compendium is available for a fee (in 2002, individuals pay US$100/£70, institutions pay US$600/£420, and institutions in certain developing countries pay US$100/£70). The CPC includes information, illustrations, training materials, and links to further data relating to over 1,850 pests, diseases, weeds, and natural enemy species worldwide that afflict 200 crops in 150 countries worldwide. Background information, global and regional distribution maps, a glossary and diagnostic aids are also provided. A phytosanitary decision-support system is offered, as is a bibliographic database with over 125,000 records. Users may also access a range of economic and statistical information, like impact data for major crops. These and other features are available only to registered CPC users (click here to view a list of features, or to register for a free 30-day trial). As part of a USAID project, 250 copies of CPC were distributed throughout Africa.

For instance, farmers who want to identify a particular beetle can visit their local telecentre and consult the CPC's encyclopedia on plant health and integrated pest management. They then select the key, or directory, on beetles, which presents a series of features (size, colour, etc.) from which they select those that apply to that particular beetle. Navigation tools, illustrations, and text are designed to make information-gathering quick and accurate. Dynamic "softlinks" provide access to a wide range of related information, such as on other countries or pests, glossary entries, bibliographic records or other databases.

Further development of CPC will continue in response to user demand. For example, projects are under way to improve the information on invasive species, and on forest pests and diseases. CABI is exploring new delivery media, such as DVDs and personal digital assistants (PDAs). CABI is also investigating ways to promote the use of the compendium in developing countries, such as through training programmes, and is exploring the feasibility of developing versions of the CPC tailored to specific local needs and in local languages.

Agriculture, Technology.

The concept of a relational database for crop protection originated from an international workshop on information needs for crop protection, held in 1989 by CABI in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation (CTA). Delegates anticipated that information technology would enable a more efficient delivery of crop protection information, and that the benefits would be felt particularly in developing countries where the dearth of information was greatest. During the early 1990s, CABI developed a prototype system through consultation with many specialists throughout the world. After an initial feasibility study, supported by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), a workshop was held in 1992. Potential users of the Crop Protection Compendium were consulted during a feasibility study in 1994 (supported by ACIAR).