Welcome Huibre! For those not familiar with SADC, would you mind explaining what the acronym stands for? Thanks :) The forum has started - please check the first discussion question which is now posted under the new thread "Discussions - Week 1". Cheers, Michael (FAO)

Dear Abdallah Hassan, Hassan Hamadu, Olive and Mahrukh, It is great to have you all join this forum. We look forward to your thoughts and ideas, and sharing with others. Please check the first discussion question which is now posted under the new thread "Discussions - Week 1". Cheers, Michael (FAO)

Dear Braja Bandhu Swain, you raise the important issue that technology is generally neutral, but the way in which individuals and society utilize technology can have either a positive or a negative impact. Any thoughts you may share about reducing the negative impact of mobile telephony would be greatly appreciated. Please check the first discussion question which is now posted under the new thread "Discussions - Week 1". Cheers, Michael (FAO)

Dear Will and Jimmy, Welcome to the forum and thank you for introducing yourselves. We are now officially starting the discussion, so please check the first discussion question which is now posted under the new thread "Discussions - Week 1". Cheers, Michael (FAO)

Hi Maria. Great to have you with us. Please check the first discussion question which is now posted under the new thread "Discussions - Week 1". Based on your studies you might also be interested in information on "bridging the rural digital divide" at [url]http://www.fao.org/rdd/[/url] Cheers, Michael (FAO)

Welcome Chakravarthy, we are pleased that you have join this forum. Please check the first discussion question which is now posted under the new thread "Discussions - Week 1". Cheers, Michael (FAO)

Dear Mishra, you have raised some very critical questions, which we hope to address in this forum over the next 2 weeks. Please check the first discussion question which is now posted under the new thread "Discussions - Week 1" and share your thoughts with us there. Cheers, Michael (FAO)

Hello Ahmad Mahdavi, so glad you have joined this forum. Please check the first discussion question which is now posted under the new thread "Discussions - Week 1". Your ideas on the speed of communication and pest identification are very useful and interesting. Cheers, Michael (FAO)

Welcome Sameera, We are pleased to have you join us, especially since the private sector's role in this subject is very important. Please share your thoughts with us in the first discussion question which is now posted under the new thread "Discussions - Week 1". Cheers, Michael (FAO) PS: Earlier this year e-Agriculture hosted a forum on public-private partnerships in e-Agriculture which might be of interest, in case you are not already aware of it. The forum archive is at [url]http://www.e-agriculture.org/399.html[/url]

Hi Leisa. I remember meeting at IAALD-AFITA-WCCA. Great to see you again and glad to know you will be part of this forum. Looking forward to your thoughts! cheers, Michael