1. Alejandro Bolívar April 16, 2013 EOS 406: Science & Innovation in Israel Agriculture and Salinity in Israel

2. Thesis  Salinity is a challenge and opportunity for Israeli agricultural sector  Important because of:  Israel’s reliance on agriculture  Regional diplomatic isolation  Global climate transformation  Geographic limitations  Rapid population growth

3. Israeli agriculture  Israel produces close to 70% of its food requirements  No normal diplomatic or trade relations with neighbors Lebanon, Syria and other nearby Arab countries  2.4% of GDP  Most important products  Fruit  Livestock  Vegetables  Wheat, cotton  Dairy  Poultry  Flowers

4. Tactics  Improving water utilization  Efficiency is crucial: 50-60% of water transported to Amman, Jordan is lost along the way  New water  Reclaimed treated sewage; seawater; groundwater desalination  Technology  Barramundi fish farms in Negev allow growth of aggressive fish species  Water from fish ponds used for growing olive trees, lily flowers  Allows Israel to export agricultural products grown in Negev  Melons (sold for $48 each in Japan)  Olive oil  Even sewage water has a value  Israel can buy sewage water from Palestine for agricultural use, sell them treated water

5. References  Hall, Rebekah. Des Moines Theodore Roosevelt HS, "Israel: Planning for Long Term Stability through Water Conservation and Improved Irrigation." Accessed March 6, 2013.  Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Focus on Israel: Israel's Agriculture in the 21st Century." Last modified 2008. Accessed March 6, 2013. http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?start=&reqstyleid=10&mode=form&reqsrcid=Chic agoWebsite&srcCode=11&more=yes&nameCnt=1&stylename=Chicago&more=yes. http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?start=&reqstyleid=10&mode=form&reqsrcid=Chic agoWebsite&srcCode=11&more=yes&nameCnt=1&stylename=Chicago&more=yes  Rinat, Zafrir. Haaretz, "Israeli researchers desalinating sewage for agricultural use." Last modified 2009. Accessed March 6, 2013. http://www.haaretz.com/print- edition/news/israeli-researchers-desalinating-sewage-for-agricultural-use-1.278928.http://www.haaretz.com/print- edition/news/israeli-researchers-desalinating-sewage-for-agricultural-use-1.278928  The Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute, "Israel's Agriculture." Accessed March 6, 2013. http://www.moag.gov.il/agri/files/Israel's_Agriculture_Booklet.pdf. http://www.moag.gov.il/agri/files/Israel's_Agriculture_Booklet.pdf  Yamouri, Najat. World Bank, "Middle East and North Africa: Agriculture & Rural Development." Last modified 2013. Accessed March 6, 2013. http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/MENAEXT/0,,contentMD K:20528258~pagePK:146736~piPK:226340~theSitePK:256299,00.html. http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/MENAEXT/0,,contentMD K:20528258~pagePK:146736~piPK:226340~theSitePK:256299,00.html