With President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s call for the modernization of Philippine agriculture, Israel has shared its agricultural expertise with officials of the Department of Agriculture as a response to the chief executive’s call for assistance.
In a statement, the Israeli Embassy in Manila said it “invited an agricultural research expert to share with the Philippines insights on how Israel became a world leader in agriculture.”
It said the Israli expert shared how its country “modernized its agricultural research and development (R&D) agenda as well as the country’s modern technologies, techniques, and best practices for its agricultural sector.”
Deputy Director of Volcanic Institute of Israel Prof. Uri Yermiyahu discussed with Philippine agriculture officers Israel’s agricultural research and development agenda, as well as joined panel discussions, which made comparison and contrast to the agricultural R&D agenda of the two countries and how to build an R&D agenda particularly on the balanced fertilization strategy. Rey E. Requejo
“Sharing Prof. Uri’s expertise with the Philippines exemplifies creating bridges of innovation and technology between our two nations,” Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said.
Uri is a Senior Researcher at the Agricultural Research Organization (Volcani Center) of Israel, a center that supports Israeli agriculture research, focusing on plant sciences, animal sciences, plant protection, soil and environmental sciences, food sciences, and agricultural engineering.
“This initiative is a response to the call of President and DA Secretary Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for Israel to help the agriculture sector of the Philippines,” Fluss said.
Uri also partnered with the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ICCP), with whom he shared insights on the intricate science of plant nutrition. He also met various Philippine departments and members of the private sector that are relevant to agriculture.
“Farming is a pursuit that unites Israel and the Philippines in our shared conquest for sustainable prosperity and food security,” Deputy Ambassador Esty Buzgan said.
“Our countries may be oceans apart, but our agricultural challenges and triumphs bridge the gap,” she added.