Strengths and weaknesses
Table 1. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges
|
Strengths |
Weaknesses |
|
Highly cost effective Simultaneously reaches large numbers of people Location and client specific, problem-oriented User-generated content and discussion among the community of members Easily accessed from mobile phones Increases internet presence of extension organisations and their client reach Democratisation of information Brings all RAS stakeholders onto a single platform Can measure impact and success by tracking number of visitors, friends, followers, mentions, Facebook ‘likes’, conversation index, and number of shares |
Limited ICT and online facilities in rural areas Only suitable for educated and online clientele Lack of awareness and readiness to accept social media by some farmers and extension professionals Internet privacy issues Relevancy of information Success of social media depends on commitment level of community of members in using social media for RAS Information overload |
| Opportunities | Challenges |
|
Few social media apps are available without internet. Forming local/regional interest groups is possible Reaching one to many Greater engagement and dialogue Allows for integration of a wide range of stakeholders Can act as catalyst for resource mobilisation (technological, organisational, and financial) |
Quality control and monitoring of posts Ensuring participation Internet and IT infrastructure issues Satisfying heterogeneous users Institutionalising social media Continuous engagement Skilled human resource to maintain social media Measuring the impact – lack of capacity for tools and analytics that help monitoring and assessing the value of information Creating awareness about social media’s potential at the organisational level Allocating time to update content Encouraging stakeholders to access resources through social media links |
Best-fit considerations
Target audience: Social media are useful for extension professionals and educated farmers, especially young people, who have online access, and also other RAS actors (input and market personnel, researchers, administrators, policy-makers, etc.).
Innovations: Social media tools help facilitate the free flow of information, knowledge, and creativity, enabling innovations by different stakeholders of RAS. Social media is ideal to inform, share, create awareness, and mobilise extension professionals, farmers, and other RAS stakeholders in the shortest possible time.
Ecological and institutional settings: Social media works best for institutions and individuals with better ICT availability and access.
