Dear Prof Sonaiya,
I want to share with you my thinking. I have got your message in different
ways.

I would think that many people are qualified to do it but I do not
understand the reason to have an EXPATRIATE farm manager. Why don't you
try to get your own people involve. You may have a group of potential
people trained in Integrated Farming systems, you can think in different
options that are may be less expensive and faster that getting a project
to support to be able to get and EXPATRIATE to work there. You are looking
for experienced people but can not afford to pay salaries of EXPATRIATES,
so to me it seems not very easy to get what you want but you could think
in another strategy. You can organize a team of local people interested and
committed to change the situation of your farm, after that start little by
little and try to get your students involve in doing research projects and
at the same time practice for them and benefit for the university. You of
course need a motor to run it but the motor should be a local person. May
be right now you will not have this person but you can start to identify
her/him and then try to offer training and opportunities to contact people
with experience on Integrated Farming systems. I know two very good
examples of big farms in Colombia, "El Hatico" and "Lucerna" where
they have an Integrated system and people involve in bigger scale
could learn a lot from them. I still think that you have the solution in
your local people but of course I understand that you need some
advice from experienced people. You can think in
get some way to invite different advisers.

People in CIPAV Colombia could help you to contact Juan Pablo Molina,
Carlos Hernando Molina the owners of "El Hatico" Farm. Also the example
of the Integrated farming system in "Pozo Verde Farm" (paper by Julian
Chara et al in this conference) could be an  example (35 ha) but I most
say again that the solution is in your people, in your students and the
most important think to run a farm (small or big) is to have a team of
committed people. We are also in the same situation but 1 ha of land
and it is not easy of there is lack of commitment. We have young
professionals involve as a  researchers but at the same time in the
management. We also give  opportunities to students to come and
do their thesis. Students  live here and they all are getting training
at the same time, "learning by doing"

May be I am wrong but I think you should start with your people and if
somebody want to join you will have a team of people and it will
ensure the sustainability of your programme.

Is very sad when somebody make a lot of effort to set up a farm
or whatever but then when that person leave everything collapse or
people start to do the opposite!!

Best regards from UTA, Cambodia,
Lylian