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Israel Agricultural Research and Development: Challenges and Opportunities Overview of Israel Agriculture Technology Applied Research Landscape Yuval Eshdat Chief Scientist Office Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development The State of Israel Oct 30th,2014, ISERD, Tel Aviv Constraints of Israeli Agriculture Shortage of water resources Scarcity of precipitation Two thirds of the land area defined as semi-arid or arid regions Shortage in “On farm labor” Complex geopolitical environment Distance from the export markets All are very “good reasons” not to have agriculture… All are very “good reasons” not to have agriculture… but: Israel had to be an independent producer of its food since its creation, thus such necessity became the mother of innovation These constraints compel Israeli agriculture to: Ensure a high degree of self supply, we faced “Food Security” already 65 years ago – not only now! Guarantee advantage with constant novelty Advance KBBE to develop and improve intensive production technology which meets economic profitability criteria Ein Yahav: past and present Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development [MOARD] MOARD Main Objectives 2014 To ensure continuous supply of fresh & healthy agricultural products for the local market, at cost-effective prices for both consumers & farmers To develop novel production technologies, minimize inputs and maintain a sustainable green ecological agriculture To promote inhabitation of rural areas by providing means for adequate income MOARD agricultural R&D is aimed to help in achieving the Ministry objectives MOARD Chief Scientist's major goals are: to identify obstacles that prevent reaching the Ministry goals due to knowledge gaps to determine research objectives aimed to bridge such gaps to fund such target-oriented research activity and to monitor research performance to bridge between the obtained scientific data and its implementation to plan the agricultural R&D strategy Current Research Priorities & Areas Supported & Controlled by MOARD Chief Scientist Office Designated Thematic Goals • Improved animal production and aquaculture • Food safety & quality; organic farming • Animal & plant protection • Horticulture & ornamental plants: quality improvement & new varieties • Efficient & safe water management (potable; brackish; recycled; desalinated) • Sustainable and ecological agriculture; Alternative pest management • Shelf-life improvement of fresh agricultural products • Reducing man-power needs by novel technologies (engineering and biological) The Chief Scientist Office Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development Current Research Priorities & Areas Supported & Controlled by MOARD Chief Scientist Office Cross-border Thematic Goals • Facing agricultural threats associated with global & local: - Climate change - Food security crisis - Alternative energy • Precision agriculture (ICT = Information & Communication Technologies) • Agricultural biotechnology and its legal and societal regulation • Market-oriented novel agricultural products • Economic, marketing and rural development policy The Chief Scientist Office Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development Current Research Priorities & Areas Collaborative Funding Major joint venture R&D of MOARD with other funding bodies • Agricultural ecology and forestry (KKL-JNF, Water Authority) • Biodiversity and Gene Banks (Plants & Zoological) • Improving agricultural-related energy use and production (Min Energy & Water) • Production of innovated agricultural products by the private sector (Min Economics) • Plant genomics assisting future agriculture; ICT; Veterinary; Mediterranean Agriculture; Industrial Biotechnology; Joint Program Initiative on Food & energy Crisis & Climate change (ERA-Nets of the EU Commission) • Mission oriented fundamental research – BARD (US-IL Agricultural Bi-National fund) The Chief Scientist Office Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development Other major funding bodies involved in agricultural research • • • • • • BSF – US-IL Bi-national Science Fund ISF – Israel Science Foundation GIF – German-Israel Fund BIRD – US-IL Bi-national Industrial Fund MOST – Ministry of Science & Technology Bi- and multi- lateral funds such as Horizon 2020 The supported projects by these funds include fundamental & industrial research not necessarily related to MOARD objectives The Chief Scientist Office Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development Agricultural R&D Sites & Players לשכת המדען הראשי Extension Services Governmental Research Inst. High Education Institutes Agri. Res. Org. (ARO) Regional R&D Centers Regional Experimental Stations Volcani Ctr. Gilat Ctr. Neve Yaar Ctr. Veterinary Res. Inst. Land & Ocean Sci. Org. Other Research Centers Applied Research Basic Science Chief Scientist International R&D Policy: Positioning Israel as a worldwide leading center for agricultural R&D and resulting know-how Strengthen the international position of Israel while using it’s reputation and cutting edge technologies Promoting advanced, novel and efficient agricultural R&D in Israel Promoting the involvement of the agricultural industry in international projects Relative advantages of the Israeli Agricultural R&D Experience in multidisciplinary R&D activities with proven abilities to develop agricultural know-how Ability to solve up-to-date agricultural problems Knowledge and experience in intruding new products and technologies into agricultural practice Ability to perform high-tech R&D projects for Tomorrow‘s Agriculture Israel agriculture as a worldwide “beta site” Israel as a worldwide R&D Beta Site for Multidiciplinary Projects Multidisciplinary R&D activities in the Food Crisis Project Breeding for high yielding & disease & stress tolerant cultivars Food Security Postharvest: Food losses and packaging Multidisciplinary R&D activities in the Global Worming Project Drought tolerant new cultivars Climate Change & Global worming Fertigation Thank you for your attention Dear guests and collaborators, good Afternoon As a representative of the current chief scientist of the Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, who apologizes for not being able to be here today, I welcome you to this meeting and wish you a fruitful day. I will concentrate in my talk on the Agricultural and its derived R&D activity of this ministry, which is the major public funder of Israel agricultural research.