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AfricaLink Reports
>> AfricaLink Home >> AfricaLink Reports >> Uganda Nov. 1997 Seminar Report ELECTRONIC NETWORKING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Seminar to Strengthen Email and Internet Connectivity for Agricultural Researcher
ICRAF/AfricaLink Project -- November 25th - 27th 1997The International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) in cooperation with the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) has been supporting email and Internet connectivity for African institutions and individuals working in agricultural and natural resources management. The funding for this activity is provided by the Africa Bureau of USAID within its AfricaLink project. As part of the project, the East Africa Help Desk(EAHD) has been set up in Kampala - Uganda to provide trouble shooting and training support to users. The project supports individuals and institutions in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Burundi, Zaire and Madagascar.
The EAHD conducted a 3-day seminar in Kampala for its ICRAF/AfricaLink grantees.
This was held on 25th – 27th of November 1997 at the Grand Imperial Hotel.
The seminars brought together over 40 partner institutions and individuals supported by the Icraf/Africalink connectivity project, and the leading Internet Service Providers in Uganda. Topics to be covered included:
- Support and advise on choosing an ISP.
- Overview of Frequently asked Questions.
- Effective use of Internet tools-e-mail, the WEB and mailing lists.
- Dealing with file attaches, encoded and zipped messages and files.
- Questions and answers session for each of the leading ISPs
- Views from the grantees on their needs and the future direction of support.
- Using the Help Desk's support services via email, fax, or telephone to resolvetechnical problems otherwise not attended to by the ISPs.
- Hands on training on basic Internet Tools
- Demonstration of the RadioMail HF e-mail service.
- Site visits with the respective ISPs to some of users sites to resolve some pressing but simple needs.
Shareware and freeware software tools for dealing with file attaches, encoded mail, zipped files, ant-virus etc.. was distributed at the end of the seminar.
Recommendations from the Seminar:
- The EAHD@mukla.ac.ug mailing list was adopted as the forum where users and ISPs would share experience and brainstorm over problems.
- The ISPs agreed on a trouble shooting/breakdown reporting procedure where users would alert failure of service via phone, fax, visit to the premises of the ISP or any other means. Users on their part agreed that whenever such notification is made, one would have to get the name of the ISP support person receiving the complaint. This would ease delays and at times denials in responding to the breakdowns.
- AfricaLink, through the Help Desk, was requested to divest its services to provide more information management, technical advise on Local Area networks and such support issues now that basic connectivity was satisfactory.
- Design and maintain a WEB site for benefit of the grantees. Also facilitate some of the grantee institutions, i.e NARO in setting up their own WEB sites.
- AfricaLink was requested to facilitate deployment of alternative communication means i.e HF radio e-mail, in places where the telephone infrastructure was non existent or erratic.
Other Seminar Highlights and Conclusion:
The seminar received good press coverage from both the electronic and print media. Two local TV stations carried the opening session on their prime news bulletins. The opening was presided over by Prof. Mukiibi – The Director General of NARO. The New Vision newspaper had an article, on its business and computer page, covering the highlights of the seminar [available on the AfricaLink website].
This seminar was also used to evaluate the usefulness of the support so far provided under this first for on basic connectivity. Prior to the seminar lots of unverified complaints were received from various users. With both the ISPs and user present, this helped create good understanding and dialogue. There was a feeling of good understanding and harmony at the conclusion of seminar.
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Last Updated on: January 23, 2003 |
