Agricultural research in Israel is carried out by the public and the private sectors and is primarily funded by the public sector (85%), of which the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MOARD; www.moag.gov.il) provides the major share (approximately € 60 million in 2012. Other sources of funding include national, bi-national and international funds.
The major subjects,currently supported and controlled by MOARD Chief Scientist, are: Agricultural biotechnology and its regulation, Animal and Aquaculture production, Coping with foreseen agricultural threats arising from possible future climate changes, Economical, marketing and rural development policy, Food security, safety and quality, Horticulture and ornamental molecular and conventional breeding and production of new varieties for exportation, Irrigation and water management (potable; brackish; recycled; desalinated), Marketing driven R&D for new agricultural products, Organic farming, Pest management aimed at reducing the use of pesticides and herbicides, Post-harvest improvement of shelf-life and surface transportation of exported fresh agricultural products, Reducing man-power needs by improved and innovative technologies, Sustainable agriculture and Agro-ecology.
Since the creation of the state of Israel, MOARD was a key body in directing agricultural research aimed at combating desertification, food security and manpower efficiency involved in agricultural production, distribution and commercialization. This R & D led, among other, to innovative and improved irrigation and recycled water technologies, novel crop varieties and animal production, post-harvest technologies, and sustainable agriculture.
MOARD is partner in ERA-PG, ERA-CAPS, ARIMNET, ICT-AGRI, RURAGRI, ERA-ANIHWA, ERA-IB2, JPI-FACCE.