Harvest for the World

The Jewish festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles) that has just concluded is also the harvest festival – celebrating the ingathering of crops. It is an ideal opportunity to highlight how Israel is helping combat world hunger and feed an ever-increasing global population. These examples of relevant news article are just from the last three months.

Israel has revolutionized agriculture globally with its scientific innovations. Israel’s Phytech, for example, has developed innovative crop sensors that boost agricultural productivity and are now being adopted worldwide.  Israel’s Kaiima Bio-Agritech is producing high-yielding varieties of essential food and feed crops using its proprietary (non-GMO) seed-enhancing platform.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNeA9N1DijY

Crop yields can also be increased by combatting pests. Israel’s EdenShield has developed a non-toxic pesticide with an aroma that repels pests. It is already used in Israel, Spain, Italy, Turkey and Greece and is soon to be launched in the USA, Mexico and the EU. Meanwhile, Israeli biotech Evogene has recently manufactured the first toxin against Western corn rootworm and bred bananas that are resistant to the hugely damaging Black Sigatoka fungus. Another Israeli biotech, BioFeed, has developed a “no-spray” solution to kill the fruit flies that have been devastating mango plantations in India.

Other ways to prevent food wastage is to pick crops at the optimum time.  Israeli start-up AclarTech has developed the AclaroMeter app that works with a smartphone’s camera and the Israeli SCIO molecular scanner, to monitor the ripeness, freshness and quality of fruit and vegetables. The SCIO scanner itself has been sent to US dairy farmers to help them check the nutrition of dry forage and deliver a more consistent diet to their animals.

You cannot grow crops without an adequate water supply and Israeli innovation in water conservation is benefiting water-stressed regions of the world, from Kenya to India to California. Thanks to Israeli drip irrigation, 15,000 farmers in Karnataka, southwestern India, are currently harvesting their first monsoon season crop in years. In another Israeli approach, Ben Gurion University’s desert research farm demonstrates how to grow crops in the drought conditions of a minimal rainfall climate.

Water is of course the basis for fish farming. Israeli aquaculture startup Latimeria breeds fish in desalinated water with salt added to save energy, minimize leakage and prevent harmful bacteria. Additional technology developed at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem promotes fish growth and is providing a vital food resource in Uganda. The solution is being further developed by Israeli startup Aquinovo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0x3O2C7ghY

Israel is devoting much effort to preventing hunger in Africa. Tahal Group – a subsidiary of Israel’s Kardan – is constructing three agricultural centers in Angola and a huge agricultural and water project in Zambia. Meanwhile,  Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame praised Israel’s agricultural technology, saying “Israel has continued to follow through on its commitments and objective of scaling up engagement across Africa.”

And President Faustin-Archange Touadéra made the first-ever visit to Israel by the head of state of the Central African Republic (CAR).  He said to Israeli President Rivlin “we have come to Israel in order to learn – your country is a school for us.”

Two of the most effective organizations working on the African continent are MASHAV and Innovation: Africa.  MASHAV (Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation) is continually busy from Burkina Faso to Zambia. Innovation: Africa’s latest successes in Uganda were ably documented in a video featuring the 8-year-old daughter of the Israeli NGO’s founder. Finally, while the international media has been bemoaning inter-tribal disputes in South Sudan, Israel has been distributing food aid to drought-stricken villagers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZq9D3shuxY

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Israel brings overseas farmers to the Jewish State to pass on the knowledge to feed their own populations.  Israel’s Arava International Center for Agriculture Training (AICAT) has changed the lives of  many of its 16,000 foreign students. And 1,200 students from across Africa and Asia have just completed the 13th running of Israel’s unique post-graduate AgroStudies agriculture apprentice training program.  Meanwhile 10,000 high-tech professionals descended upon Tel Aviv for its 5th annual DLD (Digital Life Design) Conference. This year’s focus was on food tech in which Israel has over 500 startups.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqkpt6qzjbU

Finally, whilst the United Nations Secretary General was being shown Israeli technological innovation to benefit the planet, the recently launched Israeli-developed VENµS satellite continues to orbit the Earth monitoring global agriculture issues and the health of the environment of our planet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECqCDrBxwwk

With Israeli innovation,

You shall eat, and be satisfied. 

Michael Ordman writes a free weekly newsletter containing positive news stories about Israel.

www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com and a searchable archive www.IsraelActive.com

For a free subscription, email a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com

Israel Can Prevent It

I usually publicize the positive achievements of the Jewish State. This week, however, I want to illustrate that much of Israel’s work also goes into counteracting the negative side of life in the modern world.

Disease prevention is a top priority of Israeli medical research.  Israel’s Avraham Pharmaceuticals has just announced successful interim results in a Phase 2b clinical trial of ladostigil, which prevents patients suffering mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from progressing to the more serious Alzheimer’s disease.  Meanwhile, New Jersey Department of Health has approved the OncoGxSelect diagnostic test for lung cancer developed by Israel’s Rosetta Genomics.  The test can help clinicians prevent the disease spreading by detecting genetic mutations responsible for the tumors.

The recent innovations of two Israeli companies will help prevent heart attacks.  First, Israel’s Eximo has developed a patented hybrid catheter, which is connected to a pulsed laser system, for the treatment of blocked arteries associated with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).  Then Israel’s DiACardio has just won the 2015 Shengjing Global Innovation Award in Beijing China, for its revolutionary software to decode echocardiograms. 

The mission of “Eye from Zion” is to prevent permanent blindness.  Volunteer doctors from the Israeli-Jewish organization performed cornea surgery, plastic surgery and removed tumors and cataracts to restore the eyesight of 90 adults and children in the Muslim country of Kyrgyzstan - many patients had been blind for years.  Next, a recent study by the Israeli Health Ministry as to why the incidence of HIV was six times less in Israeli men than those in Netherlands or France, revealed that circumcision prevented the disease from spreading in the heterosexual community.  And if you are concerned about preventing potential development problems in your baby, you may wish to join the on-line community launched by Israel Technion Professor Eli Ben-Sasson and his wife Ayelet. With their CROwd-based INteractive Clustering (CROINC) site, parents can check their child’s progress with other parents and compare against actual scientific and medical facts.

Israelis work globally on the ground, preventing drought, hunger and epidemics.  Israeli water technology is benefiting hundreds of millions in China, Latin America and Africa.  Israel’s TAHAL Group is to construct and operate a water supply system for 131 villages in the Indian state of Karnataka. Israeli experts are speaking at JNF water summits in 10 US cities.  The Philippines is to use Israeli greenhouse technology to increase food production.  And Israel’s Evogene is developing crops with microbial properties to prevent infestation from insects.  Meanwhile, Israel maybe unable currently to prevent natural disasters, but IDF humanitarian missions have prevented the subsequent loss of thousands of lives in Japan, Haiti, Nepal and the Philippines.

Above the ground, there has been phenomenal recent demand for the C-MUSIC system from Israel’s Elbit, as a countermeasure to prevent terrorist missile attacks launched at civilian and military aircraft.  And further up, in outer space, Israel and the US have signed the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) agreement to prevent satellites and other objects colliding in space and ensure safe spaceflight operations.

One disease that Israel cannot prevent is anti-Semitism, but it can prevent Diaspora Jews suffering its effects, by bringing them home to the Jewish State.  With help from our Christian friends, 108 Jews from war-torn Ukraine just arrived to a warm welcome at Ben-Gurion Airport, to make a new start in the land of their spiritual forefathers.  And children of the on-going massive wave of French immigration were treated to free summer camps in order to prevent problems with childcare during the school holidays.

Finally, Israeli lifeguards, naval police and the Shavei Zion diving club all worked together to prevent a tragedy for a dolphin that had stranded itself on the rocks at Acre (Akko) beach.  Swimmers watched in amazement as the exhausted animal was rescued and then taken for medical treatment by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

Israel – where prevention is as good as a cure.

Michael Ordman writes a free weekly newsletter containing positive news stories about Israel.

www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com and a searchable archive www.IsraelActive.com

For a free subscription, email a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com

Israel Goes Nuclear

In contrast to Iran’s destructive ambitions and manipulative nuclear activities, Israelis are working from the microscopic to the atomic level, in order to develop vital medical treatments and life-enhancing technology.

Israeli scientists are working with international organizations to eradicate cancer at the cellular level.  One Israeli scientist at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT has identified which of the 20,000 genes are essential to particular cancer cells, and are therefore weak spots to target with treatments.  And an International team, including researchers from Tel Aviv University and Israel’s Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences (IUI), has discovered that fluorescent pigments in Eilat’s rainbow coral are ideal for use as biomedical markers for tracking cancer cells.

Knowledge of the minute interactions in the brain will lead to the next medical breakthrough.  So it is timely that Canada has just announced a multi-million program to fund joint Canadian-Israeli neuroscience research projects.  Staying inside the brain, Israeli biotech Pharma Two B has announced positive results in its trials of P2B001 for the treatment of early stage Parkinson’s disease. 

Hardly a week goes by without an Israeli breakthrough with tiny stem cells.  Weizmann Institute scientists have used embryonic stem cells in clinical tests to repair damaged lung tissue and help alleviate chronic respiratory disease.  And Israelis such as Tel Aviv University Professor Udi Qimron are at the forefront of exciting antibiotic research using bacterial viruses (phages).  Professor Qimron has published how phages transfer "edited" DNA into resistant bacteria to kill off resistant strains and make others more sensitive to antibiotics.  And if you are worried that your dog has an infection, the PCRun molecular detection test kits from Israel’s Biogal Galed Labs will diagnose it in 75 minutes instead of previously several days.

Researchers from Tel Aviv University and Israeli medical centers have developed a groundbreaking method for sealing the incisions in the eye following cornea transplant surgery.  They used tiny silver halide optical fibers to deliver an infrared laser beam at the precise temperature needed to bond the tissue.  And scientists at Israel’s Technion have injected the heart with light-stimulated genes and used pulses of light to regulate the heart, just like a mechanical pacemaker.  But the most fascinating microscopic device could be the implanted microchip being developed jointly by Israel’s Teva and US firm Microchips Biotech that will deliver Teva-made treatments direct to patients.  The technology avoids having to measure out meds or to even to remember to take them - perfect for the elderly and forgetful.

We now launch into the world of water, where Israeli micro-biological technology has the potential to save half of the planet from drought.  Israeli startup Ayyeka has developed a unique water chemical pollutant monitoring kit that is being piloted in Israel.  And H2energy Now is the first Israeli startup to be invited to the European Union-sponsored Alpine High-tech Venture Forum.  H2energy’s technology uses radio waves to break the hydrogen-oxygen bond in salt water.  The hydrogen produced is a source of clean energy.  And it is definitely worth watching this video featuring Israel’s Netafim and its drip irrigation system that is globally transforming unproductive land into flourishing agricultural centers.

In addition to Israel’s work with the H2O of life, Israeli agri-tech companies are addressing the core issues involved in feeding a hungry world.  Dr. Zvi Peleg, of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem screened over 100,000 sesame seed variants to develop a new elite variety with enhanced yield and seed quality. But maybe I should leap over the news that Israeli startup Steak Tzar Tzar is solving the world’s critical shortage of sources of protein compounds - using grasshoppers!

Israel’s Adama has just received Israeli approval to market NIMITZ, a low-toxic, eco-safe chemical to control nematodes, one of the most destructive and problematic pests in agriculture.  Meanwhile, toxic pesticides in the rice fields have devastated Japan’s bee population.  Which is why Israel’s Bio Bee, at Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, is exporting bumblebees in spacious hives, each with an impregnated queen bee and 50 worker bees.

Israel’s Phytech has developed its Plantbeat sensors to measure how healthy a plant is and what to do to improve it.  Phytech is to sell its PlantBeat alert system to farmers in North and South America.  And if you want to know the fundamental constituents of any food item, you will be pleased to hear that, after 4 years of development, the new SCIO scanners from Israel’s Consumer Physics are now being shipped to customers.

Finally, there is likely to be the usual “nuclear reaction” by the Palestinian Authority leadership as they try to deny more evidence of historical Jewish existence in the Jewish State, following the discovery by the Shimshoni family of a perfectly-preserved 2,000-year-old Jewish ritual bath (mikvah) directly under the living room floor of their Jerusalem home.

Explosive stuff, no? 

Michael Ordman writes a free weekly newsletter containing positive news stories about Israel.

www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com

For a free subscription, email a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com