From Blacksburg to Ethiopia: Veterinary college professors forge partnerships to tackle food insecurity, empower communities

As the sun rose over the Ethiopian highlands, Carla Savage found herself hiking up a dirt path, surrounded by breathtaking vistas and the promise of discovery. Thousands of miles from her office at Virginia Tech, she was about to meet a farmer whose daily struggles would offer a firsthand experience of the challenges facing local communities.

This scene was just one moment in a transformative journey for Savage and her colleague Sophie Wenzel, both faculty members from the Department of Population Health Sciences at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. As 2024 Global Opportunity Initiative fellows, they embarked on a two-week immersion in Ethiopia, seeking to forge partnerships, gain insights, and lay the groundwork for impactful global research.  

Building bridges across continents

The Global Opportunity Initiative, created and led by CALS Global in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, aims to empower faculty to deepen their global awareness, form international networks, and compete for global funding. Since 2019, the veterinary college has partnered with CALS Global on Global Opportunity Initiative, and seven of the veterinary college's faculty have completed the program.

This year's cohort focused on community-engaged research and outreach for impact – a theme that resonates deeply with Wenzel’s and Savage's expertise and passions.

Wenzel, assistant professor of practice and associate director for the Center for Public Health Practice and Research, brings years of experience in public health, particularly in working with rural and underserved communities. 

"Every time I get to travel internationally, especially to a developing country, it's this feeling of, 'How do I get to be here and to see this?'" Wenzel said. "You take a piece of it back with you – what you saw, what you experienced, the people."

Savage, associate professor of practice in aquatic animal medicine based at the Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine, has dedicated her career to addressing challenges in aquatic ecosystems and food security. Her expertise ranges from diagnosing fish pathogens to developing innovative aquaculture solutions for communities in need.

Confronting real-world challenges

Their journey took them from the bustling capital of Addis Ababa to the agricultural heartland surrounding the host university, Jimma University. Along the way, they encountered challenges that went far beyond academic theories – they witnessed firsthand the complex interplay of food insecurity, limited resources, and remarkable human resilience.  

One dominant moment came during a visit to an orphanage. "We met this woman who had taken in 17 homeless children," Savage said. "Despite limited means, she was providing them with care, education, and hope." This encounter sparked an idea that would catalyze the professor’s future project vision: using aquaponics to address nutritional needs and provide valuable skills training.

Inspired by the orphanage's existing small-scale poultry project and by another initiative she was engaged in several years prior, Savage saw an opportunity to expand on their efforts. "We can build on this foundation using aquaponics," she said. "The goal is to use local resources with a focus on recycling, repurposing, and reusing materials. It doesn't have to be extravagant or a multimillion-dollar thing."

This proposed aquaponics system embodies the Global Opportunity Initiative's mission of community-engaged research and reflects Jimma University's motto, We Are in the Community. It addresses immediate nutritional needs while simultaneously offering educational opportunities in science, technology, and entrepreneurship. 

"There are so many facets that can be built into developing this system," Savage said. "It could be educational, teaching the students how to do it. There's the fish production and fish health management part, food crop cultivation, business development, nutrition, community health assessment – it's so multifaceted."

A journey of discovery and connection

Their itinerary was as diverse as it was illuminating. From the small orphanage experimenting with backyard chicken coops to the larger urban avocado oil and coffee processing facilities pushing the boundaries of local food production, each visit added a new layer to their understanding. Perhaps most poignant was the story told of a 200-girl orphanage grappling with food insecurity – a stark reminder of the scale of the challenges they hoped to help to address.

Wenzel's public health background and Savage's aquaculture expertise complemented the expertise of other faculty on the Global Opportunity Initiative team, allowing them to envision holistic solutions. "Community engagement, nutrition, curriculum development, economics – there's a lot. All of our skills could potentially come together to help on this," Wenzel said.  

Cultural exchange

The trip wasn't just about developing project ideas. It was a profound cultural exchange. Both professors were struck by the warmth and generosity they encountered.   

"We visited a potato farmer in this very rural community. At the end, his wife comes out of the kitchen area with a giant pot of boiled potatoes for all of us, a huge amount – that's the type of generosity I'm talking about,” said Wenzel.

The team also experienced traditional Ethiopian customs, including the renowned coffee ceremony. "It's not just about the coffee," Savage said. "It's a social ritual, a way of connecting and sharing stories. It really showed us how deeply culture and community are intertwined here."  

This spirit of giving amidst scarcity left a lasting impression. "I find it very difficult to complain now about anything," Savage said. "It feels absurd on some level, having seen what they have and how much they make of the very little they have."

Challenge mapping

A key component of their preparation and on-the-groundwork was the use of challenge mapping, a technique for identifying and addressing complex issues. 

"We spent a whole day in Jimma using challenge mapping with our partners," Wenzel said. "It helped us break down big problems into manageable pieces and identify potential projects that align with both our skills and the community's needs."

The experience has already begun shaping their approach to teaching and research at Virginia Tech. They envision exchange programs, research partnerships, and opportunities for the veterinary college's students to gain invaluable global perspectives. 

"Our students have so much to learn from just going and seeing how work is done there," Wenzel said. 

Savage added: "I'm already thinking about how to incorporate some of these real-world challenges into my courses. It brings a whole new level of relevance to what we're teaching."

A call for interdisciplinary collaboration

The potential projects identified during the trip span multiple disciplines. 

"We're not just talking about veterinary medicine," Savage said. "We need engineers for the aquaponics systems, agricultural experts for crop management, public health professionals for community outreach – it's a perfect opportunity for cross-campus collaboration at Virginia Tech." 

As mentors for future Global Opportunity Initiative fellows, both Savage and Wenzel are eager to share their insights. 

"Keep an open mind," Savage urged. "Be sensitive to cultural differences. The amenities you're used to might not be there, but this is a tremendous opportunity to have a positive impact on a more global scale."

"Be open-minded because you may find connections and partners you weren't necessarily anticipating,” Wenzel said. “Agriculture is public health, nutrition is public health – so be open to creating new types of partnerships."

The Global Opportunity Initiative and collaboration with the faculty and staff at Jimma University exemplify Virginia Tech's commitment to global engagement and tackling society's most pressing challenges. For Wenzel and Savage, their Ethiopian journey was more than an academic exercise, it was a transformative experience that will inform their work for years to come. 

As they reflect on their time in Ethiopia, both professors are filled with a sense of purpose and possibility. 

"If your heart is to give and to make an impact outside of your everyday life, then this is a fantastic opportunity to explore,” Savage said. “You can make not just wonderful new relationships, but you can have a positive impact on communities globally.”