Southern Arava R&D- Past, Present, Future

The Southern Arava R&D was established in 1985 by the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency, with the creation of Negev-Arava R&D. The R&D extends over the entire area of the Hevel Eilot Regional Council, and is operated by Ardom Management and Holdings. The R&D was built on the framework of the "Arava" Experimental Farm which was established in 1964 , and constitutes an extension and intensification of the activities of the experimental farm. Since 1997 most of the R&D's activities are funded by the JNF.

The climate in the southern Arava is extreme desert, characterized by very high temperatures in the summer, minimal precipitation (annual average of 20 mm.), intense radiation and relatively low humidity. Irrigation water is saline, and combined with climate conditions, presents a formidable limitation to the development of sustainable agriculture. In agricultural enterprises attempting to cope with desert conditions the R&D has a unique function, more so than in other regions. Certainly most of the agricultural developments in the southern Arava began in the R&D, or were otherwise supported by the R&D.

The long-term goal of the R&D is the strengthening of settlement and creation of opportunities for its expansion by improving existing crops and development of technologies for new crops. To that purpose the R&D operates in the following areas:

•1.     Efficient use of water.

•2.     Increasing profitability of existing crops.

•3.     Decreasing use of pesticides and safeguarding the environment.

•4.     Development of new crops and products.

•5.     Technological developments towards reduction in manpower.

Funding and operation of the R&D are primarily through grants from the JNF. Additional funding comes from the following organizations:

• 1. The Ministry of Agriculture.
• 2. The Negev Development Authority.
• 3. WZO- Settlement Division.
• 4. JCA in Israel.
• 5. Plants Production and Marketing board.
• 6. Hevel Eilot Regional Council.