Horst Doelle indeed knows Nigeria. He was only at the University of Lagos for
about a year giving a course on Biotechnology, but he has also been to other
parts of Nigeria, including Enugu which he visited a number of times. One of
such visits was at the invitation of FADIB (Foundation for African Development
through International Biotechnology) of which I am President, when we gave a
course on Fermentation Technology. I agree with Horst that local farmers will
be enthusiastic to join. In my opinion Prof Sonaiya is facing at least two
problems. One of them is the availability of funds. This is where inviting
local farmers becomes relevant. Will he have the funds to pay them enough to
invest their time in working on the University farm?  Any arrangement which
brings in local farmers will certainly, in my view, be fulfilling the purpose
of the University farm which should serve as a demonstration for local farmers.

The other problem which is facing the farm was referred to by Simon Appleby,
when he said that Indonesia is littered with remnants of demonstration farms.
Nigeria (along with many developing countries) is littered with all sorts of
projects emanating from donor agencies or even from local funding, which are
abandoned. The point I want to make is that there is so much policy
discontinuity in Nigeria that one is not sure that when Prof Sonaiya leaves
office as Dean, his worthy efforts will necessarily be followed up.

Finally I agree with all those who say that even an expatriate is involved in
the farm, some Nigerians must be trained to continue with the input of the
expatriate.

Nduka Okafor