Exciting new opportunities are arising in the area of capacity building, taking advantage of constantly improving information, communication, and telecommunication (ICT) tools and techniques. Creative new partnerships are being built that allow research institutions like CIAT to share its wealth of information and knowledge with diverse and remote audiences around the world.

Distance education holds much promise for agricultural development. The need is clear for finding alternatives to long-term education that takes professionals out of their professional roles and away from their homes for extended periods. There is often a high cost associated including the educational costs, the living costs and the opportunity costs faced by their absence in their professional roles.

In light of this new scenario, and in order to create an enabling environment for E-learning activities, the Information and Capacity Strengthening Unit (InforCap), was created that builds on the strengths and complementarities of existing structures (Library and Training) seeking to achieve synergies through close collaboration with CIAT projects, particularly with the Information and Communication for Rural Communities Project (InforCom), under the Rural Innovation Institute.