WTC Visits Argentina

Sean Mullins discusses his experience on a recent trip to Argentina

In August, Sean Mullins, director of foreign direct investment for World Trade Center St. Louis (WTC), traveled to Argentina to learn about AgTech opportunities and strengthen Sister City bonds. He also went to support the Cultivar STL initiative created last year that was bolstered by this year’s trip to São Paulo, Brazil.

Below is an interview with Mullins about his visit.

What was the purpose of your trip?

The trip’s intention involved several interests.  First, we wanted to support the Cultivar STL initiative as it strengthens partnerships for economic growth in St. Louis and the Americas and positively impact global food security. Second, it’s been some time since a group from St. Louis visited our Sister City in Rosario.  A visit was overdue because our Rosario friends have facilitated several virtual and in-person visits from Rosario to St. Louis over the recent years. And third, our friends at Yield Lab LATAM invited us to attend Argentina’s Aapresid Congress, which is the Argentine No-Till Farmers Association. The event attracts farmers, technicians, researchers, decision-making individuals, producers and leaders of the entire agro-industrial chain in the region. It was an efficient way to meet and talk with Argentina’s agtech leaders together in one place.

What organizations took part in the trip?

The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (Danforth Center), BioSTL, Yield Lab LATAM and Greater STL Inc.’s Geofutures participated in the trip.

What was the most valuable takeaway you received from the visit?

Argentina has a lot of energy and enthusiasm for agtech. I was highly interested in Rosario’s Austral University agrobusiness MBA program. Our group had the opportunity to visit with its students and learn about projects they are hoping to commercialize. They have a lot of ideas and eagerness to implement them, and I wondered how our two cities can be more supportive.

How will you implement these takeaways?

Student exchanges and startup visits are activities the WTC is pleased to support and facilitate. I must acknowledge and give thanks to Maria De Gregorio, the president of the St. Louis-Rosario Sister City Committee, for her efforts to provide an active linkage between St. Louis and Rosario. I also must acknowledge and give thanks to Stephanie Regagnon and Isabel Acevedo for their dynamic leadership of Cultivar STL. It’s our objective to be as helpful as possible to them when needed.

How do you think this trip might provide value for STL?

There are a lot of very smart people in Latin America with innovative ideas, and they are searching for communities and eco-systems that will help turn those ideas into successful businesses. I always feel it important to highlight agriculture as a critical economic sector for Missouri. As a state, we have around 90,000 farms powering a $94 billion industry with a workforce of more than 456,000 people. Attracting smart agtech-oriented people to St. Louis and encouraging their involvement enhances our global agtech standing.

Why was this visit important for the World Trade Center?

As prescribed in our metro St. Louis Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) plan, the World Trade Center St. Louis has been fostering agtech/foodtech relationships internationally.  In particular, the Danforth Center, BioSTL, Yield Lab LATAM, the St. Louis-Rosario Sister City Committee and the WTC have invested much time and effort developing the Cultivar STL initiative. We feel it’s important to our region and state to ensure we’re connected to all the latest and greatest agtech innovations from around the globe.

 

Contact Sean Mullins for more information at [email protected].