Agricultural Tours to Israel
Agriculture in Israel is a highly developed industry. This tiny country is a major exporter of fresh produce and a world-leader in agricultural technologies despite the fact that the geography of Israel is not naturally conducive to agriculture. More than half of the land area is desert, and the climate and lack of water resources do not favour farming.
Today, Israel is a world leader in agricultural research and development, which has led to dramatic increases in the quantity and quality of the country's crops. The drive to increase yields and crop quality has led to the development of new seed and plant varieties, as well as to innovations such as a soil conditioner substance (vermiculite) which, when mixed with local soils, boosts crop yields, and drip irrigation.
Most of Israel's agriculture is based on cooperative principles that evolved in the early twentieth century. Two unique forms of agricultural settlements; the kibbutz, a collective community in which the means of production are communally owned and each member's work benefits all; and the moshav, a farming village where each family maintains its own household and works its own land, while purchasing and marketing are conducted co-operatively. Both communities provided a means not only to realise the dream of the pioneers to have rural communities based on social equality, co-operation and mutual aid but also to gain agricultural output in a productive means. Today, between kibbutzim and moshavim, 76% of the country's fresh produce is output, as well as many processed food products.
The Land in Israel - A success story with prophetic foundations.
“…to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey…” Exodus 3:8
Malaria was successfully eradicated from Israel in the 1940s with Israeli methods now being used to fight the disease in Africa. One of the methods initiated was the introduction of Gambusia fish to water sources in the country in 1923. The fish turned out to be an effective biological means against mosquito's larvae. The result was the almost total eradication of malaria in the upper Jordan Valley i.e. the Huleh area, north of the Sea of Galilee, by using appropriate combinations of anti-larval fish and drainage techniques.
Agriculture in Israel is the success story of a long, hard struggle against unfavourable conditions and of making maximum use of scarce water and arable land. Today the land is healthy, green and thriving. Israel invented drip irrigation systems to help grow crops even in the desert which has led to very large increases in the quality as well as quantity of crops and developed numerous innovations leading to the development of substances to condition soil that boosts crop yields. Israel also built computerized cow sheds for dairy farming that produces more high quality milk with less dairy cows.
Agro Tourism
Agro tourism is about teaching through demonstration what Israel, as a progressive agricultural country has achieved in the agricultural field including:
| Field | Description |
| Desert Irrigation | Crops are grown successfully in desert area of Israel with the aid of drip irrigation even using brackish water. This has resulted in extremely high yields of excellent quality fruit and vegetables as well as other crops. |
| BIO- Farming | Visit the Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, a pioneer in organic agriculture situated in the valley of springs. Learn about the life in the kibbutz and organic farming. |
| Dairy Farming | Maximising milk production by computerized cow sheds for dairy farming that produces more high quality milk with less dairy cows. |
| Greenhouses | Greenhouses give farmers the advantage of growing crops that are not suited to the growing region in which they live. |
| Aquaculture | Fish farmers in Israel have over 70 years of experience and have been successful in producing large quantities of healthy food for consumers in all regions. |
| Drip irrigation | Israel invented drip irrigation systems to help grow crops even in the desert which has led to very large increases in the quality as well as quantity of crops. |
| Ecological farming | Leads to increased crop yields and helps farmers adapt to climate change. |
These are just a few of the many innovations that Israel has developed over the years which has turned the country into the fruit basket for Europe and Israel is proud to share this knowledge with our friends around the world.
Agro tourism includes visits, site inspections, lectures and professional meetings with experts in the different areas. Itineraries will be structured to include visits to farms and factories/facilities who implement the innovations developed in Israel.
