Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) has long contributed to international activities of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Virginia Tech. Currently, VCE is engaged in ongoing programming and partnerships in Senegal, Kenya, Brazil, and Ireland. These activities not only offer participants the opportunity to work with colleagues in other countries and contexts, but also help them refine skills useful in working with diverse audiences and addressing complex challenges in their home communities.  

John Benner and Todd Scott in Ireland
John Benner and Todd Scott in Ireland

Ireland

In June 2019, Todd Scott, Campbell County Unit Coordinator and Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent, and John Benner, Augusta County Agriculture and Natural Resources Animal Science Agent spent two weeks in Ireland working with Teagasc, the Irish agriculture and food development authority. John and Todd were hosted by Nora O’Donovan and Keith Fahy, Teagasc advisors. They visited Teagasc offices, client farms, and attended programs as they learned about advisory services and the Irish agricultural economy.

In September, Keith and Nora visited Virginia to learn about VCE programming and agriculture in the Commonwealth. 2019 was the fourth year of the Teagasc/VCE exchange and both Todd and John see opportunity to enhance VCE programming through the adoption of certain Teagasc programming tools and resources, including the use of discussion groups for producer-led education. John reflected that the exchange “was the most rewarding experience both professionally and culturally I have had since graduating from Virginia Tech in 2012.”

VCE in Senegal

Senegal

Kim Butterfield, Roanoke County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent, and Susan Prillaman, Bedford County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, traveled to Senegal in June 2019 to learn about food security in the country and to explore food safety and food preservation programming opportunities. Their work built on a previous exchange through the Education and Research in Agriculture project, and complemented ongoing programming efforts through the Jeunesse en Agriculture project. Read more about their experience in this VT News story.

Kim shared that she “saw that even on a global stage, 4-H has the ability to transform youth into strong, confident young adults and give them the tools they need to succeed. The 4-H Clubs we met in Senegal were filled with highly intelligent and creative youth who spoke of the influence that 4-H had in their lives, not only giving them technical knowledge on agriculture and food transformation, but on soft skills like public speaking and teamwork. They inspired me to search for ways to get more Roanoke/Salem youth interested in food production and food-based businesses.”

Contact Ben Grove with questions about international opportunities with VCE and look for requests for application for these projects and others in the coming months.