Israel
State of Israel
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
IPM CSD -17
Africa
The delegation of the State of Israel
"The Way Forward"
United Nations, New York
23-27 February 2009
State of Israel
Thank you, Madam Chair.
At the outset, we wish to note the long-standing historical and fruitful
ties between Israel and African countries.
For the past 50 years, Israel has been steadfast in its commitment to
agricultural development cooperation. Its agricultural programming in
Africa deals with the introduction of modern agricultural and agrotechnical
methods designed to increase the levels, sustainability, and
quality of agricultural production.
Israel?s own development experience ? moving from a developing
country to a developed one in less than six decades, despite the
constant threat of war and scarcity of resources ?? has enabled us to
design comprehensive and holistic programs for urban and rural
settings, both of which are of critical importance to Africa.
These initiatives are in alignment with NEPAD principles and strategies
which we fully support.
These challenges and development initiatives have been carried out in
partnership with donor countries, UN organizations, and international
aid agencies. In the spirit of the Millennium Declaration and the Paris
Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, Israel and African partner countries
have collaborated on projects with USAID, GTZ and CIDA (Canada). In
pursuit of donor harmonization, Israel has signed numerous
memoranda of understanding with UNDP, FAO and UNEP for
development cooperation in Africa.
Rural development also requires the introduction of nonagricultural
initiatives, particularly because modern agriculture is less labor
intensive. Therefore, it is important to encourage micro, small, and
medium-size enterprises involved in the first-level processing of
agricultural products for added value.
Israel?s approach to agricultural development in Africa is based on
harnessing science, technology, and human capacity development.
State of Israel
The challenge is to adapt traditional practices to contemporary
technologies and standards relating to such critical issues, such as
water management and irrigation, appropriate production practices and
inputs, crop protection, post-harvest techniques, marketing and value
addition.
Madam Chair,
Over the last two decades, Israel and its counterparts established a
number of demonstration projects in selected semi-arid regions in
Africa. These projects were designed to showcase new technologies
for intensifying and diversifying crop production, with the goal of
promoting a more efficient use of water through rationing of limited
water resources and installation of pressure irrigation systems. These
methods have proven to be effective, despite their higher initial cost.
At present, Israel is developing an innovative mini-sprinkler and drip
irrigation system that requires a much lower level of atmospheric
pressure than the systems used today. The system, called Africa
Market Garden (AMG) or Techno-agricultural Innovation for Poverty
Alleviation (TIPA), lends itself to establishing individual market gardens
in limited areas to contribute substantially to sustainable food
production. By utilizing this system, the smallholder African farmer can
construct his/her own small water rationing facility.
By disseminating technologies such as these, African community
gardens and individual market gardens are encouraged to develop on
a large scale throughout the continent, thereby revolutionizing
traditional African agriculture, which emphasizes the role of women in
obtaining food security for their families.
Another program currently being developed is entitled the ?Farmers of
the Future,? designed to acquaint school children with modern
agricultural technologies.
State of Israel
Madame Chair,
In conclusion, Israel proposes that these models be recommended by
the CSD-17 as possible programs that could contribute to food security
and development in Africa.
Thank you, Madame Chair.
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
IPM CSD -17
Africa
The delegation of the State of Israel
"The Way Forward"
United Nations, New York
23-27 February 2009
State of Israel
Thank you, Madam Chair.
At the outset, we wish to note the long-standing historical and fruitful
ties between Israel and African countries.
For the past 50 years, Israel has been steadfast in its commitment to
agricultural development cooperation. Its agricultural programming in
Africa deals with the introduction of modern agricultural and agrotechnical
methods designed to increase the levels, sustainability, and
quality of agricultural production.
Israel?s own development experience ? moving from a developing
country to a developed one in less than six decades, despite the
constant threat of war and scarcity of resources ?? has enabled us to
design comprehensive and holistic programs for urban and rural
settings, both of which are of critical importance to Africa.
These initiatives are in alignment with NEPAD principles and strategies
which we fully support.
These challenges and development initiatives have been carried out in
partnership with donor countries, UN organizations, and international
aid agencies. In the spirit of the Millennium Declaration and the Paris
Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, Israel and African partner countries
have collaborated on projects with USAID, GTZ and CIDA (Canada). In
pursuit of donor harmonization, Israel has signed numerous
memoranda of understanding with UNDP, FAO and UNEP for
development cooperation in Africa.
Rural development also requires the introduction of nonagricultural
initiatives, particularly because modern agriculture is less labor
intensive. Therefore, it is important to encourage micro, small, and
medium-size enterprises involved in the first-level processing of
agricultural products for added value.
Israel?s approach to agricultural development in Africa is based on
harnessing science, technology, and human capacity development.
State of Israel
The challenge is to adapt traditional practices to contemporary
technologies and standards relating to such critical issues, such as
water management and irrigation, appropriate production practices and
inputs, crop protection, post-harvest techniques, marketing and value
addition.
Madam Chair,
Over the last two decades, Israel and its counterparts established a
number of demonstration projects in selected semi-arid regions in
Africa. These projects were designed to showcase new technologies
for intensifying and diversifying crop production, with the goal of
promoting a more efficient use of water through rationing of limited
water resources and installation of pressure irrigation systems. These
methods have proven to be effective, despite their higher initial cost.
At present, Israel is developing an innovative mini-sprinkler and drip
irrigation system that requires a much lower level of atmospheric
pressure than the systems used today. The system, called Africa
Market Garden (AMG) or Techno-agricultural Innovation for Poverty
Alleviation (TIPA), lends itself to establishing individual market gardens
in limited areas to contribute substantially to sustainable food
production. By utilizing this system, the smallholder African farmer can
construct his/her own small water rationing facility.
By disseminating technologies such as these, African community
gardens and individual market gardens are encouraged to develop on
a large scale throughout the continent, thereby revolutionizing
traditional African agriculture, which emphasizes the role of women in
obtaining food security for their families.
Another program currently being developed is entitled the ?Farmers of
the Future,? designed to acquaint school children with modern
agricultural technologies.
State of Israel
Madame Chair,
In conclusion, Israel proposes that these models be recommended by
the CSD-17 as possible programs that could contribute to food security
and development in Africa.
Thank you, Madame Chair.
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