INTRODUCTION TO THE VIRTUAL PLATFORM OF

THE AFRICAN FORUM FOR AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY SERVICES (AFAAS)

ABOUT THIS PRESENTATIONIt 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 LogoDescribe

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 group

Describe 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/