Interim Report within the Israel 2050 Food Security Project
This report examines the land and water resources required to meet Israel’s food security goals for 2050, with a focus on crop-based agriculture. Its objectives are to assess the current situation, estimate future needs, identify resource gaps, and propose measures to address them.
The report is structured in three main parts: (1) a quantitative analysis of land and water resources and to identify gaps relative to projected 2050 demands; (2) an assessment of alternatives and prioritization of solutions, which included developing solutions to the identified challenges and a comparative evaluation of solutions according to feasibility and impact criteria; and (3) a spatial analysis to identify regions with high potential for implementation of these solutions.
The findings highlight the gap between Israel’s current agricultural capacity and the food security targets for 2050. In light of the expected reduction in available agricultural land, population growth, and changing climate conditions, four major challenges were identified: increasing yields per unit area, preventing soil degradation and erosion, optimizing water use, and improving the utilization of agricultural land.
Alternative solutions were formulated for each of these challenges and assessed in terms of feasibility and potential impact. The analysis indicated a preference for large-scale solutions that can be implemented in the short to medium term, including precision agriculture, advanced water management, and improved crop allocation. It also demonstrated the importance of strategic long-term investments in soil restoration, water infrastructure, and advanced greenhouse technologies. Finally, a geographic analysis was carried out to identify areas with significant potential for targeted implementation of these solutions according to local challenges.
These findings support an integrated and phased approach, combining immediate efficiency improvements in existing agricultural areas with long-term investments that will enhance the resilience of the agricultural system to climate change, resource limitations, and future uncertainty. Adopting such approaches may reduce the gap between projected supply and demand while strengthening Israel’s food security, particularly in the face of climate change and demographic growth.
