Drs. Mark Richardson and S.Kumar also visited MSSRF Chennai and discussed with Prof. M.S.Swaminathan about various activities of IIN-India. Dr. Swaminathan appreciated IIN-India as an important initiative and he assured his full support to this programme (Fig. 12).

Fig.12. Dr. Mark Richardson, Prof. M.S.Swaminathan, Dr. S.Kumar.

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), established on 31st March 2001 is an open-ended international coordinating body set up with the over all aim of furthering technical and scientific efforts to provide world wide access to digitize scientific information on biodiversity via the Internet, with an initial focus on organism and species data.

What is the purpose of GBIF :

A coordinated international scientific effort is needed to enable users throughout the world to discover and put to use vast quantities of global biodiversity data, thereby advancing scientific research in many disciplines, promoting technological and sustainable development, facilitating the equitable sharing of the benefits of biodiversity and enhancing the quality of life of members of society. The importance of making biodiversity data openly available to all countries and individuals is understood by various international agreements, especially the CBD. It is the intention that GBIF:

• Be shared and distributed, while encouraging operation and coherence;