Study of reference model for agro-geoinformation standards

Standardization in the field of agro-geoinformation is imperative to support and simplify the sharing, usage and interoperability of agro-geoinformation of different sources. It is also a complex task that addresses multiple aspects encompassing data collection, data analysis, data management, system development, data sharing and information service. As such, a reference model is required to achieve this task in an integrated and consistent manner. The reference model for agro-geoinformation standards defined aim, emphasis, groups of standards and their relation. Using methods of system engineering and conceptual schema, this paper developed and brought forward a reference model for agro-geoinformation standards. The reference model consists of three levels - the base standard level, the general standard level, the profile and application standard level. The general standard consists of five groups including guidance standards, data or product standards, management standards, application system development standards and information service standards. The paper mainly set forth the standard composition and essentials of five groups. It put forward important principles and methods for building specific agricultural information standard profiles and application standards based on the base standard and the general standard. The reference model has guidance meaning for the field information standardization which focuses on information accumulation, application and service as well as establishment of agro-geoinformation standard system.