Welcome to Database of the Week — a feature from the Management & Economics Library (MEL). These database snapshots will give you basic information about our most relevant and beneficial online resources.<\/p>\n
This Week\u2019s Featured Database: <\/strong>FAOSTAT, <\/em>from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.<\/p>\n Link:<\/strong> www.lib.purdue.edu\/mel<\/a>, in the pull down Quick Access to Business Databases<\/em> alpha list right below the Libraries\u2019 search box.<\/p>\n D<\/strong>escription\/focus:<\/strong> FAOSTAT <\/em>provides data on production, prices, and trade on food and agriculture around the world.<\/p>\n Start with this hint: <\/strong>The FAOSTAT<\/em> home page has no general search box.\u00a0 Instead, it is a portal to datasets and databases that let you view canned charts or build customized spreadsheets and reports.\u00a0 Begin with the list in the blue banner across the top:\u00a0 Production<\/strong>, Trade<\/strong>, Food<\/strong> Supply<\/strong>, etc.\u00a0 Select one to see the further options in that subject area.\u00a0 For example, if you click on Resources<\/strong>, the options in the green field become ResourceSTAT<\/strong> and PopSTAT<\/strong>.\u00a0 Click on ResourceSTAT<\/strong> to see links for data on Fertilizers<\/strong>, Water<\/strong>, Labor<\/strong>, Machinery<\/strong>, and others.\u00a0 You can then select Water<\/strong> to see the information about and link to AquaSTAT<\/strong>.\u00a0 For another example, go back up to the blue field and select Trade<\/strong>, then select TradeSTAT<\/strong>, then select Crops<\/strong> and<\/strong> livestock<\/strong> products<\/strong>.\u00a0 This brings up the lists of parameters so select from each, being sure to scroll across to include the years.<\/p>\n Why you should know this database:<\/strong> FAOSTAT<\/em> supplies data on over 200 countries.\u00a0 The databases that are prominently displayed across the top of every web page are supplemented by links on the Home<\/strong> page to other food and agriculture databases and information from the UN, such as a wastewater database.<\/p>\n How this database can be integrated into the curriculum:<\/strong> FAOSTAT<\/em> databases let students compare the agriculture, food, and livestock production of a country to other countries as well as see changes in a country\u2019s production across time.<\/p>\n Cost:<\/strong> Paid by the Libraries annually. For more information contact mdugan@purdue.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n ——————————<\/p>\n Database of the Week comes to you from the Management & Economics Library (MEL). Our intent is to give you a brief introduction to a database that you may not know. If you would like more information about this database, or if you would like a demonstration of it for a class, contact kranlib@purdue.edu<\/a>. Database of the Week is archived at https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/news\/category\/mgmt\/database\/<\/a>. For more Purdue Libraries news, follow us on Twitter (@PurdueLibraries<\/a>).<\/p>\n