1WORKING PAPER1Israeli Agricultural Innovation: Assessing the Potential to Assist Smallholders Alon Tal Professor and the Chair of the Department of Public Policy, Tel Aviv University April 20191This is part of a series of research and policy publications on agricultural innovation systems in India, China and Israel. It is part of the Syngenta Foundation’s Policy initiative.
2Table of contentPart I. Israel’s Agricultural Reality in Relation to Africa, India and China .......................... 4Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 4Africa and Israel ...................................................................................................................... 4Summary, Israel’s African Opportunity ...................................................................................................... 7India and Israel ........................................................................................................................ 8China and Israel ..................................................................................................................... 10Summary: Israeli Agrotech‘s Relationship to Africa, India and China ...................................................... 11Conclusion – Helping to Aggregate Small Farmers.................................................................. 12Part II. A Brief Review of Israel’s Innovative Agricultural Sector and Public Policy .......... 14Introduction to Israel’s Idiosyncratic Agricultural Experience ................................................. 14Israeli Technological Innovation in Agriculture ...................................................................... 18Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture: Politics versus Professionalism ............................................. 19Policies and Programs to Promote Agricultural Innovation in Israel ....................................... 21The Israel Innovation Authority................................................................................................................ 23The Agritech Exhibition ............................................................................................................................ 24Private Sector Investment and the Entrepreneurial World of Israeli Agrotech ....................... 24Part III. Israel’s Agricultural Research Institutions .......................................................... 27University Researchers .......................................................................................................... 28Government Sponsored Research .......................................................................................... 29Regional Agricultural R&D Centers ........................................................................................ 32Field Extension Agents........................................................................................................... 32Part IV. Israel’s Agrotech Ecosystem ............................................................................... 35Israeli Agrotech’s Inspiration, Composition and Orientation .................................................. 35Israeli Agrotech’s Human Capital and Incubators ................................................................... 36Trendlines – the Original Israeli Agrotech VC and Incubator................................................... 37Case Study: Kidum R and D Applications ................................................................................ 39Hebrew University’s Agrinnovation: From Academic Insights to Marketable Products ........... 40Part V. Israel’s Agrotech and Smallholders ..................................................................... 43Israeli Perspectives on Agricultural Interventions in Africa .................................................... 44Potential Role of Israeli Training Programs ............................................................................ 49Hebrew University’s International Master’s Degree in Agriculture.......................................................... 49Demonstration Farms in Africa................................................................................................................ 50Mashav Short Courses and CINADCO Internships .................................................................................... 51The Arava International Center for Agricultural Training......................................................................... 52Training Programs Outside Israel............................................................................................................. 53Hybrid Seeds ........................................................................................................................................ 54Biopesticides ........................................................................................................................................ 54Comprehensive Irrigation, Fertigation and Chemigation Solutions .................................................... 55Farm Machinery .................................................................................................................................. 55
3Resource Management and Precision Agriculture .............................................................................. 56Post‐Harvest and Integrated Value Chains .......................................................................................... 56Part VI: Israeli Agrotech: Practical Options for Smallholders .......................................... 581) Irrigation and Water Management .................................................................................... 58The Sociological Origins of Israel’s Irrigation Industry............................................................................. 58The Netafim Empire.................................................................................................................................. 60Family Drip Systems ............................................................................................................................. 61Drip Competitors ...................................................................................................................................... 68The New Generation of Israeli Irrigation? ................................................................................................ 69Sciroot ...................................................................................................................................................... 69Ndrip ......................................................................................................................................................... 712) Integrated Pest Management ............................................................................................ 73Biobee’s biological solutions .................................................................................................................... 73Cultivators – a non‐chemical weed control strategy ................................................................................ 76
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