The Science and Technology Committee, chaired by MK Yasir Hujeirat (Ra’am—United Arab List), held a professional tour on Monday at organic farms in the Hof HaCarmel region. Also participating in the tour were MK Yael Ron Ben-Moshe (Blue and White—National Unity Party) and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
The tour focused on the status of organic agriculture in Israel, with the aim of advancing organic agriculture that seeks to balance between the production of high-quality food and preservation of the environment; [advancing] research and development that will help to increase proper organic production, and ways of increasing the supply of organic crops in Israel.
In the tour, it was explained to the committee that organic production exists in about 190 countries, with a growth rate of several hundred percent in a decade. In many European countries, a target has been set of at least 25% organic areas by 2030, with huge investments in research, regulation, incentives, models and training. In Israel, conversely, there are only 46,000 dunams of organic areas (1.15%), and about 350 farmers. There is a shortage of dedicated research and budgets, and limited training relative to the international standard.
During the tour, and in a meeting with farmers from the various farms, a demand was raised to increase the organic farming areas to 10% by 2035, with five main anchors: Support for farmers; upgrading of regulation and training; investment in research and development of knowledge; setting up experimental plots and model farms; developing the industry and the value chain. In addition, needs were raised such as setting up plots for research and development, adding an organic table to the Plant Production and Marketing Board, and establishing a dedicated research institute.
committee chair MK Hujeirat emphasized the commitment to advance organic agriculture as a research-based, innovative, environmental and economic field, and to encourage a new generation of farmers and to provide broad benefits to the economy and the public in Israel.
Dana Joskowicz, CEO of the Israeli Bio-Organic Agricultural Association (IBOAA), who led the tour, said, “As proven in the past, investment in research and development in organic agriculture leads to extensive implementation of beneficial practices in Israeli agriculture in general. It’s unthinkable that while in the European Union, 30% of the funding for agricultural research and innovation is allocated to the organic sector, in Israel 0% of research budgets are dedicated to this purpose, and there isn’t a single organic research plot in all the research institutes in Israel.”
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