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Irrigation in israel
irrigation and agricultural interests, so much so that in merely a couple of decades, they were able to turn a desert into a lush ecosystem with fertile lands, and great agriculture. Nevertheless, it was not until the State of Israel was established, that these efforts were done as an organized plan, instead of an emergency response. Since the very first official government started to work, one of its first priorities was to build a comprehensive program for the development of the country's soil and water resources. Among many other advancements, Israel has learned to maximize its water efficiency to produce much more food than needed for its own population, with much less water. As the professor of the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment at Hebrew University, in Israel, Ronit Nativ says, “the change of landscape in Israel in the past century, has been quite remarkable. The area that for many centuries consisted of a desert in the south and swamps and uncultivated areas in the north has turned into a beautifully cultivated area.”1 It is very impressive to see a green land where there is supposed to be a desert. Considering that Israel consists nearly exclusively of dry lands (93%) and that the country experiences severe water scarcity, the fact that Israel is able to produce almost 85% of its food requirements is almost miraculous.2
Among all the variety of fruits and vegetables produced in Israel and featured in a traditional Israeli breakfast, the cherry tomato catches the attention as an item which has sparked polemics. Anna Wexler highlights the debate about the origins of the cherry tomatoes and if they can really be attributed to an Israeli invention. In her article she criticizes the fact that Israel authorities tried to credit its creation to its scientists, but to her amazement, Rabinowitch, a well
1 Ronit Nativ, "Can the desert bloom? Lessons learned from the Israeli case," Ground Water 42, no. 5, September/October 2004, p. 656
2 Alon Tal, "Rethinking the sustainability of Israel's Irrigation Practices in the Drylands," Water Research 90 (January 1, 2016), 337.
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