"An agricultural settlement doesn’t just sustain us, it also protects us. Every agricultural settlement is a forward position in the struggle for our existence," said Labor Zionism leader Berl Katznelson, in a statement that seems more relevant than ever in the Swords of Iron war. Haifa Group CEO Motti Levin chose it to open his speech at the "Globes" Business in the South Conference at Sapir Academic College in Sderot.
Haifa Group develops and produces precision nutrition solutions for plants, with the aim of maximizing yields while minimizing the use of resources and environmental damage. "Israel’s outlands are its granary," Levin said of the importance of the Western Negev, which has been hit hard by the war, from the attack by Hamas on October 7 to the continued evacuation of people from their homes to the severe damage to agriculture because of the lack of workers.
Levin used the occasion to announce a new initiative by Haifa Group, which will set up two innovative research and training farms in Tkuma and Arava regions. "Our vision is to set up a research and training center that will connect the next generation of farmers with leading startups in agritech. The aim is to give the students advanced technological tools and knowledge, to develop their expertise, and to prepare them to be leaders in agriculture in the future."
Levin said that, following approaches from developers in Israel and overseas, Haifa Group had decided to set up an investment fund for agtech, foodtech, and sustainability, amounting to tens of millions of dollars. "This will have a huge impact on the Tkuma region," he said.
Levin warned that, in the wake of the war, there was a real fear that farmers would abandon the Western Negev. "Our national mission is to strengthen Israel’s farmers and to create a new generation in farming. I call the state to continue to invest and even increase its support. We will continue to play our part," he said.
Full disclosure: The conference was sponsored by Bank Hapoalim, Strauss Group, Sderot Municipality, Amdocs, Haifa Group, Sapir Academic College, place il, and was held with the participation of Soroka Medical Center and Ashdod Port.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on June 5, 2024.
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