Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, MK Avi Dichter: “Formulating a national food program is a necessary and vital step for the country. The food supply challenges during the ‘Swords of Iron’ war exposed Israel to risks of shortages in basic food due to severe damage to both agriculture and import capabilities. These challenges reinforced the perception that the state must increase local production, especially in fruits and vegetables and other basic products where the country has an advantage. In fact, the core idea of this program is reliance on local production, with imports serving as a complementary weight.”
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in cooperation with the Ministries of Health, Economy and Industry, Environmental Protection and Energy, and the National Security Council (NSC), presented this morning (Tuesday, 7/1/2025) the interim results of the National Food Security Program. The presentation, in a multi-ministerial forum and discussion, included senior officials, among them: Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Avi Dichter; Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Moshe Abutbul; Director-General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Oren Lavie; Head of the Food Security Administration at The Ministry of Agriculture, Yuval Lifkin; Minister of Economy and Industry, Nir Barkat; Minister of Environmental Protection, Idit Silman; Deputy Head of the National Security Council, BG (res.) Yitzhak Bar; Head of Climate at the NSC, Victor Weiss; Head of Food Technologies Branch in the IDF, LTC Vered Gabai; and Deputy Head of the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA), Yossi Shapira.
During the meeting, interim results from the various working groups, which are part of the formulation of the National Strategic Food Security Program, were presented. The National Food Security Program 2050 aims to ensure a regular supply of healthy, diverse, and affordable food for the entire population of Israel, while promoting local agriculture and food industries and sustainable food systems adapted to climate challenges. The principles for formulating the program include long-term strategic planning, inter-ministerial cooperation, and the integration of all stakeholders, alongside promoting operational steps to create significant impact throughout the food system chain.
During the conference, the results of six working groups, dealing with various aspects of food security, were revealed for the first time: The Food Basket and Consumption Habits group examined how to design a healthy and sustainable food basket, based on national nutrition guidelines that the state is responsible for providing to its citizens. The main challenges identified include low health literacy and a cultural preference for processed food. Emerging action directions include formulating a strategy for comprehensive change in the food system based on health and environmental considerations to alter food consumption norms in Israel, including: education for healthy nutrition and changes in eating habits according to food groups, with a reduction and change in the mix of animal-based and processed foods, and cooperation with the food industry to promote healthier food.
The Local Agriculture group focused on the importance of local agricultural production and increasing agricultural productivity, alongside dealing with environmental crises and climate change. Among the main barriers are the farmers’ long-term uncertainty and dependence on foreign workers. Future action directions include maintaining crop diversity and farm types, ensuring long-term environmental resources, finding areas for agricultural training, transitioning to more intensive production, investing in agricultural R&D, implementing innovative technologies and advanced mechanization, and supporting a new generation of farmers. Emerging action directions include increasing local production in line with population growth, diversification and variety of crops and sectors alongside farm types, implementing knowledge and innovation to optimize production and increase productivity, and reducing dependence on foreign workers, dealing with climate change, and improving long-term production certainty by addressing the value chain and competitiveness.
The Trade and International Cooperation group presented a risk analysis of global supply chains and proposed ways for continuous import alongside protecting local production, as well as addressing the cost of living. Emerging directions also include encouraging competitiveness by expanding import sources and increasing the number of suppliers. The program also includes initiatives to ensure food availability in emergencies, such as the “Sea Treasury” program, which aims to ensure the supply of essential products even in situations of global disruptions by operating alternative shipping to ensure the import of goods to the economy.
The Food Industries group examined how to strengthen local production of healthy and affordable food, while integrating innovative technologies. The main challenges identified include dependence on imported raw materials, high production costs, and low growth in the number of new food factories. The group proposed action directions including changing the product mix towards healthier and more sustainable options, encouraging the development of the food-tech industry in Israel, and improving supply chains to reduce costs and increase production efficiency. It was also recommended to establish a multi-ministerial working team to formulate a work plan that will help ensure operational continuity in emergencies and support local food industries.
The R&D and Innovation group dealt with ways for technological innovation in agriculture and industry, with an emphasis on developing an advanced research ecosystem as a response to challenges and risks. Emerging directions include strengthening the connection between research, academia, and industry, alongside encouraging entrepreneurship in agri-tech, food-tech, and aquaculture, establishing innovative food factories, developing research and knowledge infrastructure, identifying sub-sectors with productivity gaps, developing tools for prioritizing government support that will be included in the national food basket, emphasizing the transition from R&D to production, and supporting and developing advanced agriculture.
The Food Loss group presented alarming data on the extent of food loss in Israel, which reaches 37% of the food produced, valued at NIS 23 billion. Recommendations include developing measurement and food loss reduction mechanisms along all stages of the supply chain, alongside increasing public awareness of the issue. Formulating a team on food rescue with an emphasis on removing barriers, coordinating, and standardizing procedures for collecting and distributing food donations.