Information Services
In accordance with official mandates and cooperation agreements, the Department of Organizational and Support Activities operates the following specialized units:
- FAO Depository Library
- AGRIS FAO Centre
- Specialized Agricultural Library
These units jointly contribute to the development, management, and dissemination of scientific and technical information in the fields of agriculture and rural development at both national and international levels.
Main Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of the department include:
- Development of information and communication services supporting the growth of the information society in agriculture and rural development
- Support for digitalization and informatization within the sector
- Facilitation of information exchange and integration of the sector into national and international information networks
- Ensuring efficient and effective access to relevant information and information resources across the agriculture and rural development sectors
- Participation in international cooperation in the field of scientific and technical information, particularly in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
AGROVOC
The department act as the editor of the AGROVOC thesaurus for the Slovak language, contributing to the accuracy, relevance, and continuous development of this multilingual controlled vocabulary used worldwide in the field of agriculture and related domains.
As part of the global AGROVOC editorial network, the Centre participates in the translation, validation, and enrichment of terminology, ensuring that AGROVOC remains up to date and responsive to users’ needs.
In recognition of this active editorial role, the Centre is entitled to display the “AGROVOC Editor” and “Proudly using AGROVOC” icons on its digital communication channels. These icons highlight the Centre’s contribution to the international AGROVOC community and support awareness of AGROVOC as a key resource for structuring and accessing agricultural knowledge.
AGRIS FAO Centre
The Centre of Information Services operating within the The Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Institute, serves as the National AGRIS Centre of the Slovak Republic and is an active member of the international AGRIS (International System for Agricultural Science and Technology) network coordinated by FAO.
The Slovak AGRIS FAO Centre and the FAO Depository Library carry out these activities in accordance with the Resolution of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic No. 406/1993-100 of 1 February 1993.
In recognition of its long-term and consistent contribution to the processing and provision of high-quality bibliographic data, the Centre was awarded the “Seal of Recognition for Active Data Provider” for three consecutive years – 2024, 2025, and 2026.
This recognition highlights the Centre’s commitment to excellence in data management and its significant role in supporting the global exchange of agricultural knowledge.
The AGRIS Database
AGRIS is one of the world’s largest international information systems in the field of agricultural science and technology. It collects bibliographic information on scientific, technical, and socio-economic publications covering a wide range of topics related to food, agriculture, and rural development.
- AGRIS provides free access to more than 14 million bibliographic records in 187 languages;
- data are supplied by a global network of publishers, governmental institutions, libraries, academic organizations, as well as non-governmental and intergovernmental bodies from 150 countries worldwide, including the Slovak Republic.
Through its active participation in the AGRIS network, the Centre of Agrarian Information ensures that agricultural research and scientific outputs from Slovakia are widely accessible to the international research community. This contributes to increased visibility of national research, facilitates the discovery of publications, and enhances the citation impact of Slovak authors.
As scientific research cannot be conducted in international isolation, AGRIS represents a key platform for international cooperation and the exchange of scientific knowledge between Slovak experts and specialists in related fields worldwide.
Library
The library operates as a specialized agricultural library providing access to a broad range of professional information resources. Its collection consists of approximately 11,500 library units, including:
- publications from the FAO Depository Library,
- publications of the European Union (EUROPE DIRECT),
- periodicals.
The library holdings are electronically catalogued and integrated into AGROKATALÓG, the national integrated information system for agriculture.
Opening Hours:
Monday – Friday: 09:00 – 14:00
Library Services
- On-site access to library materials (periodicals, books, collections, encyclopaedias, statistical yearbooks)
- Off-site borrowing (in accordance with the Library Statute)
- Bibliographic and information retrieval services
- Interlibrary loan services (national and international)
- Reprographic services
- Lists of new acquisitions