Try staying full and functional on 1kg of flour, 750g of sugar and 250g of oil – for a month.
From Israel’s first Independence Day in 1948, and for the next 11 years afterward, Israel’s food security was tenuous, dependent on the strict per-person food quotas that characterized the “tzena”: austerity period.
Today, take a casual glance around any supermarket in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Nahariya or Kiryat Malachi. Israel’s food security seems to be just fine. Even war caused only minor shortages in some food products, usually temporary and quickly resolved.
Look beneath the surface, however, and you’ll find a multitude of stresses on the delicate Israeli food supply chain.
The Dangers of Dependence
Israel imports $7.1 billion in food and agricultural products annually, while their exports are only $2.2 billion. Israel is fully dependent on imports for grain, sugar and vegetable oils, as well as for animal feed, upon which depends the local production of dairy, chicken and eggs.
Additionally, Israel sees consistent growth in food demands, both due to increasing quality of life and to a stable annual population growth of two percent.
While self-sufficiency is an important component in food security for any country, the events of the past 18 months have underscored its importance for Israel. Extensive missile damage to agricultural lands. A shortage of foreign agricultural workers. Threats of foreign boycotts. Attacks on Red Sea trade routes.
Food security is a critical part of national security. In a country like Israel with limited land and water resources, plus a challenging geopolitical situation, it requires a multi-faceted solution.
KKL-JNF is utilizing over 120 years of involvement with the land to support Israel’s farmers and food security in a wide range of ways, from developing advanced technology to boosting nature’s own built-in mechanisms.
Trees for Bees (and Farmers)
The impact of bees on our food goes way beyond honey. Honeybees are essential pollinators, supporting the growth of many agricultural crops, including apples, cucumbers, and melons- all key produce in Israel’s farmlands. Bee pollination contributes billions of shekels annually to Israel’s agricultural economy. Without healthy bee populations, crop yields decline, threatening both food security and the livelihoods of farmers.
Unfortunately, Israel’s honeybee population is under threat due to general global factors such as urbanization and climate change, as well as specific local factors such as war damage to nectar-rich habitats that supported bee populations.
To address the issue, KKL-JNF partnered with Israel’s Pollination and Honey Council to plant 30,000 nectar-producing trees and shrubs across Israel. The variety of these plantings help maintain stable bee populations even outside major crop flowering seasons and provide the nutrients bees need for long-term health and sustainability.
Ofi Reich, CEO of the Pollination and Honey Council, explains: “Nectar-planting efforts are of utmost importance for preserving Israel’s agriculture and food production and for reviving agricultural areas in the north and south.”
By supporting the long-term stability of Israel’s honeybee population, KKL-JNF’s planting initiative directly benefits Israel’s farmers, agriculture and food security.
Cultivating Farmlands in the Western Negev
The Western Negev is the backbone of Israel’s fresh produce supply. Before October 7, 2023, this region provided 75% of Israel’s vegetables and 20% of its fruit, underscoring its vital role in the nation’s food production.
Due to its proximity to Gaza, the Western Negev has always been vulnerable, facing constant terror attacks, rocket fire, and incendiary balloons that have burned forests, fields, and greenhouses. On October 7th, Hamas deliberately sabotaged farmland, poultry farms and dairy farms in an attempt to cause severe harm to Israel’s economy and food supply.
KKL-JNF stepped up in response to this threat to Israel’s agriculture. They began to prepare unused Western Negev land for immediate cultivation, providing area farmers with the critical resources they need to rebuild their livelihoods and strengthen their families and communities.
“As the largest predominantly farming Council that has paid the highest price, today we say, ‘We are here and we are staying here’,” expresses Gadi Yarkoni, Head of the Eshkol Regional Council. “After many years of efforts on the part of the Council, thousands of dunams of cleared firing range lands have been handed over from the IDF to the Council. Now, through the KKL-JNF, we have begun the process of repurposing them for farmlands and for development of blue-white agriculture, which is the region’s settlement anchor. This is extremely good news of symbolic value as well. It is especially encouraging during these days in that it strengthens and develops the settlement in Eshkol.”
Turning raw land into productive farmland – especially within a short time frame- requires expertise in agriculture and engineering. The process includes clearing, leveling, grading and ensuring the soil is fit for crops.
“The greatest challenge is working swiftly and accurately while maintaining the highest standards,” explains Yossi Otmazgin, Director of the Execution and Infrastructure Unit for KKL-JNF’s Southern Region.
KKL-JNF invested significant resources into preparing 300 acres of land, handing the now arable land over to Western Negev farmers in January and February 2025.
Gilad Altman, Project Manager for the Eshkol Regional Council, defines KKL-JNF’s efforts as “first-class Zionist work – developing new agricultural areas so we can welcome new families, expand our communities and help the entire region flourish once more.”
Agriculture, Renewed
It takes energy to accomplish anything, including producing food. Is it possible to increase food production to provide the needs of Israel’s growing population, while decreasing reliance on non-renewable energy sources and greenhouse gas emissions?
KKL-JNF responds in the affirmative, investing resources into research and practical applications at the intersection of renewable energy and agriculture, otherwise known as agrivoltaic farming.
Instead of just consuming energy, agrivoltaic farms also produce energy. Solar panels are an integral part of the agricultural setup, with the crops grown in the fields or greenhouses directly under the panels. KKL-JNF is a major collaborator in the first agrivoltaic pilot project in Israel, established at Kibbutz Ma’ale Gilboa in the Beit She’an Valley.
KKL-JNF sees agrivoltaic farming as key to a sustainable future for Israel’s agriculture industry. It reduces reliance on fossil fuel-based energy and optimizes land and resource use, enabling the same physical area to be used for both agriculture and energy production.
In addition, more electricity available in close proximity to the agricultural land makes it more feasible to introduce precision agriculture: robotics and other automation technology as part of agricultural processes. The renewal of agriculture as a field that encompasses both advanced technology and values such as sustainability can play a key role in attracting the younger generations back to agriculture.
KKL-JNF is directly involved in research on how to optimize agrivoltaic farming, with the most recent UN international climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan featuring a presentation by KKL-JNF Chief Scientist Dr. Doron Merkel on the results of an in-the-field research study.
The Long Road to Independence
Israel’s food security has come a long way from rationing out flour, sugar and oil. But despite the sense of plenty, there are still strides to be made toward greater self-sufficiency and true food security.
This critical work lies in the hands of the next generation of Israel’s agriculturalists, as well as organizations like KKL-JNF that are committed to actively supporting Israel’s farmers and sustaining Israel’s people.