INTRODUCTION TO THE VIRTUAL PLATFORM

OF

THE AFRICAN FORUM FOR AGRICULTURAL

ADVISORY SERVICES (AFAAS)

ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION

It presents:

A summary of what a member can do on the platform;

An introduction to the main pages & functionalities

therein;

Screen shots of the main pages bearing brief

descriptions of their features;

At any stage you can go back to the previous view by

pressing the UP Arrow or speed up the presentation by

pressing the DOWN Arrow.

WHAT IS THE AFAAS VIRTUAL

PLATFORM?

A dynamic & interactive virtual social community made up of

diverse Agricultural Advisory Services (AAS) stakeholders;

It is primarily intended to promote exchange of information and

sharing experiences among the stakeholders;

Its intended outcomes are innovations that can improve AAS

in Africa;

It is open to all individuals and organisations interested in

improving AAS in Africa.

WHAT THE AFAAS VIRTUAL PLATFORM CAN

DO

Enable members in the virtual social community to:

• Communicate with each other & connect to others in

different groups & country fora;

• Post questions on the platform via the web or SMS;

• Find solutions to their problems from a wide range of

actors via the web or SMS;

• Create public ‘organisation groups’ and private

‘opportunity spaces’

WHAT THE AFAAS VIRTUAL PLATFORM CAN DO

(CONTINUED)

Enable members in the virtual social community to:

Advertise the services that they and their organizations

can offer;

Collaborate in finding innovative solutions/approaches for

advisory service-related problems;

Identify AAS-related business opportunities and develop

them into business plans;

Get mentors and sponsors/investors for their ideas.

HOW IT WORKS

A virtual Problem

Solving area

An area for people,

organisations and

groups to create their

own web pages

An area for people

to develop

opportunities into

business plans

An inclusive platform for

various stakeholders in the

AAS field

An area where a

user can get help

on how to use the

platform

PROBLEM SOLVING

Post a question or solution related to any of the different

categories by web or SMS;

Receive responses through email and SMS notifications;

Follow a thread of responses.

PROBLEM SOLVING (CONTINUED)

Send questions by SMS:

1. On your mobile phone under the message menu, type in

your question;

2. Send the message to +44 7624 803768

Send answers/responses by SMS:

1. On your mobile phone under the message menu, enter the

‘SMS Problem ID’, leave a space and enter your response;

2. Send the SMS to +44 7624 803768.

Post requests for

information by web or

SMS

Question is posted on the

web & also sent by SMS &

web to registered

“Answerers”

Questions can be

categorized by different

broad fields & topics

All responses are stored on

the platform & over time a

permanent searchable problem

solving knowledge base is

created

Other people who want to

know the answer can

indicate their interest &

receive responses

Different people can

respond to a question &

their responses are posted

on the platform & also sent

by SMS

Responses can be made

directly on the web or sent

to the platform by SMS

PEOPLE, ORGANISATIONS & GROUPS

Create personal, organisational and group profiles;

Connect with other members;

Follow activities of organisations of interest to you;

Form and join groups of interest to you.

A directory of members A directory of

organisations

A directory of groups

Searchable database of members,

organisations & groups

PEOPLE

People can describe

themselves

People can describe

the products /services

they offer

The opportunities on the

platform which they are

involved in

Show the questions

they have

contributed to

Upload their picture

Send & receive emails

to/ from other membersOffer their contact

details

ORGANISATIONS

Show their Logo

Describe themselves

Start & comment

on discussions

One can ask to join the

organisation’s space on

the platform

Give their contact

details

Show activities

they are involved in

on the platform

GROUPS

Invite members to join

your groupDescribe your group

Form a group based

on various subject

areas

Start & comment on

group discussions

Share files

OPPORTUNITIES

Create and develop opportunities in private virtual

spaces;

Invite others to join your opportunity to collaboratively

develop your ideas through a structured process;

Attract mentors, partners and investors, and build

support.

•Registered members can create

an opportunity

•Problem solving activity can

generate opportunities

Basic information on on-going

opportunities can be viewed on

the platform

Activity on the

opportunity continuously

displayed

Opportunity has an administrator who

invites & admits members, &

manages the development of the

opportunity

All members of

an opportunity

are shown

• Brief description of the

opportunity can be viewed by

the public

• Details can be public or

private

Systematic &

guided process for

developing an

idea/ business

plan

Opportunity team

can seek mentor,

sponsor, investor

Option to start &

comment on

discussions

SUPPORT

Access to tools & guides on

the platformOptions to start

discussions & add

comments

A series of support & ‘How

to’ discussion pages

Access to discussions

Access to interactive

support on how to

work on the platform

VISIT:

HTTP://NETWORKING.AFAAS-AFRICA.ORG/