The current global phenomenon of increased fertilizer prices also poses a challenge to farmers across the world and emphasizes the point of re-thinking the soil management protocols. Furthermore, proper soil management and farming routines also plays an important role in climate change implications. Soils are heterogeneous and dynamic. Investing in integrated soil fertility management requires targeting different investments responsive to requirements of different soil types and farming systems.
Given the global rise in fertilizer prices, it is an opportune time to work together with various stakeholders, researchers, and leading experts to explore ways in increasing long-term efficiency and effectivity of soil in order to make sure we are able to keep up with food needs of the growing human population.
Agriculture in Israel is being practiced under unique and extreme conditions, including long hot summers, many cycles of draught years, and shortage of good quality water that leads to extensive use of marginal water. Israeli agriculture needs, therefore, to be modern, intensive with nearly half the cultivated area demanding irrigation. In turn, the pressure on Israel’s soil resources increases continuously, hence leading to greater soil sensitivity to water and wind erosion, depletion of soil organic matter and an increase in the risks to soil salinization. Recent years have seen an increased awareness in Israel, by both farmers and policymakers, to the importance of employing Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices to prevent further degradation of the country’s soil resources, and thus to secure local fresh food production and export.
Examples for some interesting Israeli companies in the soil health space include:
Groundwork BioAg is a global bio agriculture company that leverages on the natural power of mycorrhiza fungi to improve the productivity, sustainability and profitability of commercial agriculture and expand regenerative agriculture practices. Their Rootella® products simultaneously enhance crop yields and soil health while permanently sequestering carbon by actively enabling plant nutrient and water uptake beyond the immediate rhizosphere.
Established in 2012 by 260 kibbutzim united in seven Commercial cooperatives, SHEFFA by Deshen Hatzafon is an Agricultural Cooperative Association. The company produces a variety of smart fertilizer compounds – solid, soluble, granular, or liquid fertilizers, bio-stimulants, and micronutrients – all manufactured with adjustment to the way the minerals are absorbed by the plant – from the root system or the foliage.
Compost Or produces premium compost which contains high percentage of organic matter, low moisture content and rapid release of the nutrients into the soil. Compost Or also produces Fertilo, an organic fertilizer pellets which have a slow-release mechanism of nutrients that improve absorption directly into the root zone and increase crop’ perception, soil reclamation resulting a healthy soil’ environment.
ICL Group is a leading global specialty minerals company, which also benefits from commodity upside. ICL leverages its unique bromine, potash and phosphate resources, its passionate team of talented employees, and its strong focus on R&D and technological innovation to drive growth across its end markets.
Interested in meeting some of the suggested companies or receiving further information on AgTech in Israel?
Please get in touch with Dr. Besmira Sinanaj: besmira.sinanaj@israeltrade.gov.il
