Eugenia Saini is currently FONTAGRO’s Executive Secretary. FONTAGRO is the Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology. She leads the investment fund and a portfolio of 70 international operations related to science, technology, and innovation for the Latin America and the Caribbean region. She is from Argentina and is an agronomist by training. She holds a doctorate in agricultural sciences, specializing in total factor productivity analysis. One of her seminal works in this field was the estimation of 120 years of TFP for the agricultural sector in Argentina. She is also a National Public Accountant and holds an MS in Food and Agribusiness and an MS in Applied Economics, both from Universidad de Buenos Aires. She has worked in the private and public sectors, both nationally and internationally, especially in multilateral banks. She was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship at Cornell University and, more recently, with the Abshire-Inamori Leadership Academy (AILA) Scholarship at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.
Virginia Tech GAP interns plant the seeds of productivity growth
April 26, 2022
The GAP Initiative creates opportunities for Virginia Tech students to engage in the global agricultural and food security communities through our internship program. In this blog, hear from our two current interns on their personal journeys and how working with the GAP Report has impacted their understanding of agriculture.
Megan: Hello, everyone! My name is Megan Pollok and I have been working with the GAP Initiative since January 2022. I am currently a sophomore at Virginia Tech and I am excited to share a little bit about my background and experiences so far with the GAP Report, as well as share about my collaboration with a fellow intern, Tessa Naughton-Rockwell.
Tessa: Hi there! My name is Tessa Naughton-Rockwell and I have been working at the GAP Initiative since March 2021. As a GAP intern, I have had the chance to make creative content, research global health and food security, and help compile information for the 2021 GAP Report. Now we are going to share a little about how we started working together!
Both: Working with the GAP Initiative has given us both a better understanding of global food security and the importance of seeing agriculture as the solution and not the problem.
As young people starting our careers in agriculture, we feel a strong need to preserve our forests, soils, biodiversity, and water resources. Productivity-driven research is the key to making these advancements. Whether it is developing Integrated Pest Management methods for farmers around the world or improving weather prediction services for farmers in underfunded areas, we can utilize productivity to increase environmental resilience and food security.
Sowing the seeds of productivity growth
Both: Just as a farmer prepares the soil before planting a seed: our journey working together started before the GAP Initiative. We first had the opportunity to meet one another while attending the Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s School for Agriculture hosted at Virginia Tech in 2018. The Governor’s School for Agriculture provides an opportunity for students to learn about the importance of the agriculture industry and promote careers in agriculture.
Needless to say the program did its job. Following that summer both of us were inspired to pursue a degree in Crop and Soil Environmental Science with an option in Agronomy and a minor in Global Food Security and Health. Through our shared studies, we were able to connect again with a course focusing on agricultural studies within the United States. With funding from the Virginia Crop Improvement Association, we visited Arkansas to learn more about rice cultivation, poultry production, aquaculture, and other industries in Arkansas. Starting this semester, we both began working together collaboratively as interns for the GAP Initiative Report.
Tessa: Obsessed with soils
Tessa: Whether it is looking at soils, growing plants, researching agriculture, or engaging in discussion, learning goes beyond the classroom. This is certainly true for my activities outside of working with the GAP Report. As a member of the soil judging team- a club devoted to investigating soil description and assessment- I have had the chance to compete with a winning team at several competitions and have gained a better appreciation for the complexity that is the soil we stand on. This experience has made me passionate about the importance of empowering farmers with information about their soil and soil fertility. Not that I am obsessed with soil… well I might be, I am also working with researchers at Virginia Tech to complete a survey of Ecuadorian farmers on soil conservation methods. In the future, I am interested in working on soil conservation and expanding international cooperative extension efforts. Equipping farmers with the tools and resources needed to preserve soil will improve environmental sustainability and food security resilience.
Megan: Row crop researcher
Megan: I have been immersed in production agriculture since I was a small child, so it seems fitting that even now I continue to work and study agriculture. When I’m not dedicating my time to the GAP Report, I primarily focus on studies with row crops. I am currently involved in the crop evaluation course, which focuses on plant identification, seed analysis, grain grading, and production practices. Through my prior research with beneficial plant bacteria and learning about production practices, I have learned more about how agriculture productivity plays a role in cropping systems. Proceeding the crop evaluation class, I will participate in the crops judging team, which will visit Australia to compete and participate in a study abroad program in September 2022. While visiting Australia, I look forward to integrating my work with the GAP Report into my trip and exploring the country’s agricultural productivity.
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