From Ancient Ruins to Regenerative Agriculture. Meet Kornelia Kajda, eAgronom’s Country Manager in Poland

At eAgronom, we believe a great team starts with great people - and sometimes, those people come from the most unexpected backgrounds. Take Kornelia Kajda, eAgronom’s Country Manager in Poland, for example. Before she was leading our Polish team through the fast-paced world of digital solutions for farmers and shaping the future of regenerative agriculture, she was earning a PhD in archaeology, conducting field research on Cold War bunkers, and authoring peer-reviewed academic publications in leading European research projects - all while hitchhiking her way across the globe.

Kornelia's journey from academia to agriculture is as remarkable as it is inspiring. She's both a quietly gentle and undeniably strong person, a combination that truly stands out. To learn more about her journey, we caught up with Kornelia to talk about what it’s like to lead one of the most active and dynamic teams at eAgronom.

Hi, Kornelia! To start us off, could you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your background?

I’m someone who definitely came to agriculture from another world. I’ve always been deeply rooted in the humanities and developed my skills there. But life had other plans for me, and I embraced the change. Switching fields was a big challenge, but I found that I really liked the agricultural world, and I’ve decided to stay.

What first drew you to eAgronom and the world of agritech? How did your path lead to the role you’re in today?

It was a complete coincidence. I came across an interesting job advertisement looking for open-minded people interested in broadly defined technological and climate issues. I started in a typical operational role - organizing the work of the Polish company in administrative and marketing matters. But I found myself increasingly drawn in by the world of eAgronom, and I dove deeper into it.

You’re now running operations across all of Poland! What does a typical day look like for you - or is there no such thing?

I used to have predictable patterns in my days. Now it is definitely not like that anymore. Every day is different and depends on the projects I need to focus on. Or areas that require improvement or in-depth analysis. I meet with farmers quite often because staying connected to practical agriculture is important to me. So really, there’s no such thing as a typical day anymore.

How do you personally stay organized while managing your team, your own tasks, and everything else that comes with your role? Any tricks that keep you grounded?

I have a great team that supports me, which makes the workload feel lighter. I also have a very good memory - I tend to remember almost everything I hear or read if it holds any meaning to me. That helps me work efficiently, since I don’t need to go over the same information multiple times. I also try to tackle tasks as they come up so they don’t pile up. Organizationally, people say I’m structured - but my desk tells another story. It's usually full of scattered notes and coffee cups, so everyone can tell where I’ve been working there.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work at eAgronom so far?

The biggest win for me is the opportunity to work with the Polish team. I’m surrounded by wonderful people whom I trust and understand deeply. Our communication is seamless, and building that kind of team is my greatest achievement here.

You’re leading the Scope 3 project in Poland. What’s been the most meaningful or fulfilling part of launching new initiatives across the country?

Scope3 projects are a space for us to learn how to work with large companies, corporations and how to be their link with farmers. We try to fill this gap, which is not easy, but it gives us a lot of room for further education and at the same time specialization in the field of introducing changes with farmers and reporting these changes for corporate purposes.

What’s been the biggest barrier in implementing Scope 3 in Poland, and how have you tackled it?

One of the biggest challenges has been building trust and understanding between corporate stakeholders and farmers. It takes time, patience, and clear communication. We’ve focused on transparency and providing real value to both sides, which is helping us make progress.

You've traveled a lot - even hitchhiked through different countries around the globe. Can you share a favorite travel story with us?

There are many, but one of my favorite experiences was traveling through Tajikistan along the border with Afghanistan. It’s still one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. I’m grateful I got to visit before mass tourism reached the region.

Do you think your travel experiences have influenced your leadership style or the way you approach challenges at work?

Absolutely. Traveling opens your mind to diverse perspectives and challenges. It taught me to be adaptable and to consider different needs and characters when managing people. I’m also quite a characterful person myself - I fight if needed and I think that inner resilience was shaped through my travels.

Looking back at your archaeological career - do you still find ways to connect that passion to what you’re doing today, or does it feel like a completely different chapter?

On the one hand, it is a completely different chapter and rather closed, but I still have many friends who are archaeologists. Sometimes I am invited to lectures. I also join my partner (who’s an archaeologist) on excavations. It makes me stay a bit in the world of archaeology. On the other hand - it also gives me a refreshing break from my day-to-day responsibilities at eAgronom.

What’s something your colleagues might be surprised to learn about you? Any secret talents or unexpected hobbies?

I think we know each other well, so surprises are rare. But perhaps not everyone knows that I love reading books. Once I dreamed of being a literary critic.

Is there a book or article about agriculture that really inspired you or influenced your work?

It’s not a typical farming book, but “The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl” by Timothy Egan deeply influenced me. It tells the story of extensive conventional farming, poor farming practices and corn monocultures that led to massive environmental disaster in the United States. It helped me grasp the gravity of sustainable agriculture and the importance of farmers' work. I recommend it to everyone.

What has working with farmers taught you over the years?

That everything is constantly changing. It’s nearly impossible to predict what agriculture will look like in 10 years. Long-term strategies are incredibly difficult, and this uncertainty is something I’ve had to learn to navigate.

Do you feel like your work has a bigger purpose? Does eAgronom mission help you to stay motivated?

Definitely. Our climate goals help keep me motivated. But they also make the job harder at times - especially when I feel like I’m hitting a wall. However, I bounce back quickly and remind myself that meaningful change always starts with difficult beginnings.

How do you see farmers’ attitudes toward climate change? Has anything changed recently? What are those conversations like?

A lot has changed. Most farmers are now aware of their role in combating climate change and are open to making changes. That said, there are still skeptics - particularly in Poland - so we have to keep addressing misinformation and explaining the importance of our work.

If someone were thinking about switching into agritech from a completely different field (like you did) what advice would you give them?

Be curious, be humble, and be ready to learn. Agritech is incredibly complex, but also very rewarding. If you care about people and the planet, you’ll find your place.