Joining Forces for Advanced Vegetable Cultivation in the North
A highly successful ‘Summer Vegetables’ conference was held at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center in Hispin, as part of a strategic initiative to establish a new agricultural sector in the Golan, aimed at addressing the severe shortage of vegetables in the Israeli market during summer months. The conference, organized by the Golan Agriculture and Innovation Unit, North R&D-MIGAL, and the Ministry of Agriculture’s Extension Service, attracted over 200 leading participants from the field, including farmers, researchers, company representatives, and industry experts.
During the conference, discussions focused on the challenges and opportunities in acclimating suitable varieties, adapting agrotechnology, and the impact of agricultural structures on crop quality. In the opening session, Lior Avraham, an instructor from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security’s Extension Service, presented a comprehensive overview of summer vegetable cultivation in the Golan, addressing the region’s unique climatic advantages and potential. The presentation emphasized the existing research and practical infrastructure in the Golan, alongside the need to expand cultivation areas and adapt varieties, technologies, and agro techniques to improve yields and quality.
Menashe Cohen, a North R&D researcher, presented extensive research on adapting pepper, tomato, cauliflower, and broccoli varieties to three different climatic sub-regions in the Golan at various altitudes. Additionally, applied research from the Implementation and Training Farm in Avnei Eitan was presented, focusing on summer vegetable cultivation using advanced agricultural infrastructure, analyses of vegetable production and marketing in Israel, economic feasibility calculations, adaptation of greenhouses to Golan regions, and the area’s distinct climatic advantages.
Regional Council Head, Uri Kellner, opened the conference stating: “Agriculture is the backbone of the Golan, and this conference demonstrates our commitment to providing farmers with all the tools needed for success. We will continue collaborating with leading entities to ensure the prosperity of regional agriculture.”
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security CEO, Oren Lavi, noted that the Golan Heights has unique potential for leading innovation in summer vegetable cultivation, and committed to providing farmers with necessary tools for success, including support for greenhouse construction and advanced machinery use. He emphasized the ministry’s commitment even during challenging times, referring to researchers’ work during the war.
Yair Golan, Director of the Golan Agriculture and Innovation Unit: “We see a great opportunity to transform the Golan into Israel’s summer vegetable granary. The combination of excellent farmers with suitable topography and climate in the Golan, alongside professional support from the Extension Service and dedicated grants from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, will enable us to achieve this vision quickly.”
Haya Rak Yahalom, Director of North R&D at MIGAL, emphasized: “We estimate the potential to grow about 2,000 dunams of tomatoes in high tunnels and 1,200 dunams of peppers in net houses in the Golan. These crops could supply approximately half of the national consumption during summer months.”
The conference concluded with a call for continued investment in quality vegetable cultivation and yield improvement, aiming to ensure sustainable agriculture in the Golan.
As a regional knowledge hub, the Implementation and Training Farm in Avnei Eitan is open to all Golan farmers, and the Agriculture and Innovation Unit will continue holding professional conferences, including a Beekeeping and Pollination Conference on February 5th and an Open Plant Protection Laboratory Conference on May 25th at the Shamir Research Institute.
Photos: Golan Agriculture and Innovation Unit
