The 12th Africa-Israel Economic Mission to be held from September 27 to 30, this year in Tel-Aviv, Israel will bring together a group of African entrepreneurs and leaders.
The programme which is opened to existing and potential agribusiness investors in Africa is organised by Belgium-based European Marketing Research Commission (EMRC). The aim, according to the organisers, is firstly to share Israel’s expertise in agriculture, agribusiness, livestock, training and agricultural research, as well as to establish partnerships between public and private African and Israeli entities. Field visits will be carried out to sophisticated greenhouses, companies specialising in biotechnology, drip irrigation, seeds and other agricultural inputs, fruits and vegetables packaging, dairy farms and aquaculture.
According to Idit Miller, vice president and managing director, European Marketing Research Commission (EMRC), working sessions will be organised to present key projects realised by leading Israeli companies in Africa. Business meetings will be organised according to participants’ projects and activities.
Miller further stated that the mission enjoys the support of Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Department of International Cooperation (MASHAV), Centre for International Agricultural Development (CINADCO), and the Institute of Export and International Cooperation of Israel, as well as private companies.
“Finally, a cultural programme will be organised on the last day with the visit of the holy sites in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth, as well as the Jordan River,” Miller stated.
MASHAV was established as a division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel in 1958 and has trained almost 200,000 course participants from some 140 countries in Israel and abroad and developed dozens of demonstration projects worldwide in fields of Israeli expertise.
CINADCO is MASHAV’s main professional and operational institution for international agricultural development cooperation. CINADCO’s activities focus on key issues and problems in agricultural development facing rural and urban communities.
Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute is the primary organisation facilitating trade opportunities, joint ventures, and strategic alliances between international businesses and Israeli companies. Some of the Israeli companies partnering with interested companies from outside the country are the Project Development Company which operates in the full process of a project, from the feasibility studies through the development, financial planning and management of projects in Africa and other emerging markets. The company works in the areas of construction, agro-industry, water, health and education.
For instance, Hazera, a global leader in the seed industry, brings expertise, commitment and support, combining decades of experience with state-of-the-art technology in breeding, developing, producing and marketing varieties of seeds worldwide.
Netafim is the global leader in smart drip and micro-irrigation solutions for a sustainable future. Since introducing the world’s first drip irrigation solutions in 1965, the company has led the way by developing products that help customers optimise results.
Miller also stated that the 2015 edition of the Africa-Israel Agricultural Trade Mission will bring the public and the private sectors from Africa and Israel together, with the aim of strengthening the private sector in Africa, promoting sustainable development, stimulating local production as well as the access to international markets and expanding partnership and business opportunities. The mission is limited to participants that have a common interest in the development of the agri-food, agro-industry and agricultural sectors, as well rural development, finance and new energies and want to identify partners for specific projects, share experiences and establish contact with knowledgeable experts and reputable Israeli institutions.
Explaining further, she stated that it is a unique opportunity for people to learn about new agricultural technologies, establish business connections with interested partners and visit the world’s holiest sites.
According to the organisers, participants will access and receive inside knowledge about CINADCO and its agric training centre, improved seeds, greenhouse technology, drip irrigation systems, dairy and poultry farming; aquaculture, post-harvest treatment and packaging of fruits, treatments for insect control and so on.
To face natural weather, land and water restrictions, Israelis have developed technologies allowing for a maximum agricultural output with green-house technology, special coating, heating and ventilation systems, allowing Israeli producers to obtain superior results. In addition to saving water, drip irrigation techniques allow for a significantly greater output of the agricultural produce. “We will visit a company which invented the drip irrigation to respond to the scarcity in water and the growing agricultural needs. Situated in a Kibbutz, various irrigation systems were developed to respond to different requirements,” Miller said.
The organisers have planned visits to dairy farms on how to transform dairy potential for increased exports. Participants expectedly will see how technologies employed in Israel have transformed the dairy industry. Participants are also scheduled to see, on the spot, how cattle are constantly monitored – all the data collected is automatically updated by advanced IT software and how cows produce 11.000 litres of milk a year, equivalent to 30 litres a day.
Israeli aquaculture is practiced at sea, in water tanks and in artificial lakes. After 10 years of experimentation, the Israelis have identified the most efficient techniques and the most fitted species for this type of breeding.
Source: businessdayonline
