The 18-20 conference in Eilat, will be attended by ministers of agriculture from the region, including Bahrain, Malta, Morocco, Jordan, and Cyprus. Israeli entrepreneurs will present the most innovative technological developments in the fields of fish, algae, corals, crabs, and oysters
Jerusalem, 21 September 2022 – Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has announced it is to lead an international conference aimed at promoting knowledge and technologies in the field of marine and desert agriculture and strengthening research and business collaborations in the field.
The issue of global food security will face many challenges in the coming years, including the rate of population growth, global warming and frequent climate changes, rising sea levels, and decreasing fertile areas for agricultural crops. Accordingly, a significant part of the future of global food must originate from the sea and the desert.
The conference, to be held in Eilat, 18-20 October, comes following the Government’s decision last August, to launch a multi-year plan to develop the city of Eilat and the Eilot region as a national and international center for the production of food from the sea and the desert at a cost of approximately NIS 170 million.
Israel’s Minister of Agriculture, Oded Forer: “The whole world is currently dealing with the issues of food security and the climate crisis. The connection between the desert and the sea offers many opportunities to develop advanced technologies on which future food growth will be based. The State of Israel has tremendous potential in this field and is already leading relevant research and technology development. The conference will set the wheels turning on cooperation with countries across our region, with similar climates.”
The event will include a variety of sessions and discussions led by researchers, experts, and entrepreneurs with the aim of sharing and improving knowledge and best practices in the effort to realize the tremendous potential inherent in the connection between the sea and the desert, in Israel and the countries of the region.
On the first day of the conference, a panel will be held with the participation of the ministers of agriculture from the participating countries on the topic “The future of global food security in the light of the climate crisis”, with the aim of sharing the existing knowledge in the countries and bringing about new initiatives on the subject. The opening session will be led by Professor Yonatan Zohar from the University of Maryland, known for his research in the field of fishing. Other leading speakers will include Flavio Corsin of Aqua Spark, which promotes global investments in the field of water; Dr. John Buchanan, the CEO of the Center for Aquaculture Technologies; Dr. Hanna Rosenfeld, of the National Center for Mariculture; and Prof. Amir Sagi from Ben Gurion University.
On the second day of the conference, an innovation exhibition will be held, opened by futurist David Passig, who specializes in predicting technological and social trends. At the exhibition, Israeli entrepreneurs and companies will be able to present the most innovative technological developments in the field of fish, algae, corals, crabs, and oysters. As such, the conference will also be a unique opportunity to promote commercial cooperation with Israeli companies and various parties from the region and the world. On the third day, the participants will tour the Institute for Marine Research in Eilat and technological companies that promote innovation in the region.
International Media wishing to attend the conference or tour one of the relevant companies ahead of the event, can contact: Yarden Vatikay at yardenvatikay@gmail.com or see the conference website: https://www.agrisrael-sea-desert.org/
Photos Credit:
The Innovative Conference on Food from Seas and Deserts.
Technological fish farm in Israel’s southern desert. Photo: ARDAG
