Israel forms an alliance with Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan

Israel has formed an alliance with Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan to enhance food security. This development was reported by TPS.

Israel's Minister of Agriculture, Avi Dichter, has signed a declaration of intent to collaborate on the cultivation and production of wheat with Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

Dichter expressed the significance of this partnership, stating, "We at the Ministry of Agriculture are taking another important step towards securing agricultural products, most of which are not produced in Israel, as part of our vision to ensure food security." He further emphasized that, "In this period of global uncertainty, many countries are interested in moving forward with us based on common interests. We will continue to establish cooperation between Israel and other countries, thereby ensuring food security for the citizens of our country."

Under an initiative known as "Treat the Wheat," Israel is offering its agricultural technology and expertise in exchange for wheat imports. The Ministry's statement indicates that Israel intends to enter into similar agreements with countries in Europe and Africa, aiming to expand its grain reserves for regular consumption and emergency situations.

It is noteworthy that Israel currently imports 90% of its wheat. Numerous countries have shown interest in Israeli agricultural innovations, including drip irrigation, desalination, crop protection, precision farming, soil improvement, and methods for increasing efficiency and sustainability developed by various Israeli agricultural startups.

This potential food security alliance with Central Asian countries comes at a time when international grain trade has faced disruptions due to the coronavirus pandemic and the situation in Ukraine. Consequently, countries are taking steps to diversify their sources of international food supply.