The proposition of Simon
>Provide the farm land on free lease to a suitable private agricultural
>company with a good track record, be it a local company or a foreign one.
>As part of the conditions of the lease, require certain training and
>extension functions from the tenant, to be performed to a certain standard.
>Make your university's laboratory facilities available to the venture, and
>charge a commercial fee for this use. Make your experienced local
>academics available for consultancy at an agreed charge.."

seems to me very pragmatic and reasonable. This model of co-operation must
not be limited to a company it also can be a growers association, a village
a region etc. The universities or the research organisation take over the
part of experts to provide knowledge and experience from outside as well as
for training and educating the people in new techniques or in improving
their actual techniques (know-how).

To me it is very important that these projects are community driven in close
co-operation with the experts and the Universities.

Regards   Markus Bieri