Australia sets up knowledge brokering system on natural resources

Land and Water Australia have set up a Knowledge for Regional Natural Resource Management initiative to build stronger connections between research/information providers and Natural Resource Management (NRM) planners, decision makers, implementors and evaluators.

According to project documents, 'knowledge brokering' is a "dynamic activity that is the human force behind knowledge exchange and adoption. It involves bringing people together, helping to build links, identify needs, and share ideas and information that will allow a problem to be solved or lead to a better way of doing things." The initiative will simplify access to data and information and facilitate information exchange between regional bodies and research/information providers.

One activity is to examine the setting up of an 'Interconnected Knowledge System' for NRM. A 'first stop knowledge shop', this will give information seekers easy access to multiple data and information sources from a variety of sources. It will help people find the information or contact they need when they need it, and help people sort out the most relevant of the potential information sources. It will also allow increased coordination, cooperation and interconnection between agencies.