The OECD highlighted Israel’s investment in research and development, which accounts for over 20% of the ministry’s annual budget and positions the country as a leader in agricultural technology. By Pesach Benson, TPSIsrael maintained stability in its agricultural sector despite the pressures of a prolonged war, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported on Sunday.The report praised steps taken by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, including the National Food Security Plan, efforts to lower water costs for farmers, and an increase in the quota of foreign agricultural workers.“The findings of the OECD report show that we are in the right direction,” said Minister of Agriculture and Food Security MK Avi Dichter.“We knew, even during the war and under fire, to look forward and upward as a ministry and a country.”Dichter highlighted the ministry’s ability to advance national food security initiatives while boosting local agricultural output.“The fact that, while fighting a war on many fronts, the Ministry of Agriculture was able to lead a national food security program and, in the process, increase local agricultural production, thanks in part to a government decision initiated by the ministry to increase the quota of foreign workers in Israel from 30,000 to 70,000 workers — all of which contributed, according to the OECD, to the resilience of Israeli agriculture during the period of severe security crisis we went through,” he said.The OECD report also commended the ministry for reducing water prices for farmers and rehabilitating agricultural lands damaged during the conflict. Israel’s National Food Security Plan, aimed at ensuring a reliable and healthy food supply for citizens in both routine and emergency situations, was singled out as a significant achievement.“We will continue our efforts to lower the prices of water for agriculture, with an emphasis on purified wastewater and increasing agricultural land, in order to meet the goal of increasing by one-third the agricultural produce of vegetables and fruits produced in Israel in the coming decade,” Dichter said.He also praised farmers and ministry staff, saying:“I congratulate the farmers as well as the employees of the office for their hard work. The OECD said its word; we will take care of everything else, with the farmers and before them.”The report notes that Israeli farmers receive budgetary support comparable to other OECD nations, though significantly lower than in the EU and UK.While 91% of support comes from measures considered trade-distorting, such as output-linked subsidies and market price support, the OECD said these mechanisms remain less effective.Total agricultural support in Israel accounts for just 0.31% of GDP, about half the OECD average, reinforcing the ministry’s push toward direct support to strengthen food security and encourage local production.The OECD highlighted Israel’s investment in research and development, which accounts for over 20% of the ministry’s annual budget and positions the country as a leader in agricultural technology.The report also cited the ministry’s role in rehabilitating the Gaza Strip, in partnership with the Tekuma administration, where over NIS 480 million ($147.4 million) was invested in rebuilding agricultural infrastructure, establishing model farms, and encouraging youth participation in farming.Other achievements lauded by the OECD include the enactment of the Honey Law, which regulates beekeeping and pollination services; direct financial support for sectors affected by low yields or imports—including NIS 12 million ($3.6 million) for tomato growers and NIS 40 million ($12.3 million) for olive oil producers—and investments promoting sustainable agriculture and proper waste treatment.The report also highlighted Israel’s expanding international agricultural cooperation, including free trade agreements with Vietnam and Guatemala, and ongoing negotiations with India, China, Costa Rica, and Bahrain.The post OECD praises Israel’s agriculture for wartime growth appeared first on World Israel News.