Farming is not an easy profession, trade, or lifestyle in any corner of the universe, and the arid desert climate of Israel makes the challenge of successful farming even harder. Yet, Israel is always known for its creative ingenuity, and has developed seven technological advances that have facilitated successful farming in the middle of a bronze sea of sand.
“God forbid if we don’t have the internal ability to produce our own fresh produce,” Michal Drayman, Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) Partner, told ISRAEL21c.
The dry arid climate isn’t the only reason Israel should strive to be as self-sufficient with its food supply as possible. The coronavirus epidemic and hostile relationships with neighboring countries result in the country needing to be as independent as possible from a world that doesn’t always want Israel to even exist on the map.
Farming is also limited by water scarcities in the country, and the fact that the locals do not want produce coated in toxic residues from pesticides, yet pesticides have been so overused that many weeds and crop diseases are becoming resistant to their use. The European Union seeks to phase out many toxic herbicides and pesticides in the decades to come, which while is a good thing for consumer health, produces new challenges in agricultural practices.
“Without technology, this will be very difficult to accomplish,” Drayman continued. “We believe that the growing demand for environmental protection, along with regulatory requirements, are generating a significant market for agritech.”
Written by Erin Parfet
