IITA maximizes open access for visual repositories

9 February 2024

Open access digital formats have recently been gaining momentum as effective media to store, archive, and transmit visual data. They include texts, images, audio, videos, and software, typically accessed and distributed through electronic devices and online platforms.

In adopting open access formats to store visual content, IITA-CGIAR has adopted YouTube and Flickr as repositories for archiving videos and images, giving the public access to thousands of media items that can aid research efforts worldwide.

The IITA Flickr account curates a collection of high-quality images of events, projects, research, and activities across IITA stations, hubs, and headquarters in Africa. This portfolio provides content for diverse purposes, including tracking project and research progress and achievements over time.

IITA uses these two platforms to enhance user understanding of the Institute’s research and attract a broader audience that may prefer visual learning. With the YouTube account, IITA gives visibility to over 100 research project activities across Africa, allowing research actors to tell their stories, connect with users, and foster a community through comments and discussions.

With a combination of YouTube and Flickr, the Institute is the custodian of a broad visual data bank of images and videos in open-source digital formats that amplify the research. That is transforming millions of lives on the continent.

IITA’s YouTube and Flickr account statistics

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@IITAVideos

Subscribers: 9.56k

Total videos: 720

Number of views: 898,901

Date joined: 27 February 2009

Location: Nigeria

 

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/iita-media-library/

Number of views: 9,446,760

Total photos: 29,843

Date joined: 2009

Location: Nigeria

Contributed by Anita Akinyomade