The Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Institute (), previously known as the Agricultural Research Station of the Jewish Agency for Israel, is an Israeli agricultural research center. It serves as the research arm of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the State of Israel and provides research opportunities for local and international scientists at post-graduate levels, as well as educational opportunities for Israeli and international youths, farmers and scientists. The organization supports Israeli agriculture research, focusing on plant sciences, animal sciences, plant protection, soil and environmental sciences, food sciences, and agricultural engineering. The organization was founded in 1921 in Ben Shemen, Israel, by Yitzhak Elazari Volcani, for whom it is named.
History
During 1921, in the village of
Ben Shemen, the Jewish Agency established the Agricultural Experiment Station under the leadership of Yitzhak Elazari Volcani.
[Katz, Shaul and Ben-David, Joseph "Scientific research and agricultural innovation in Israel." Minerva 1 June 1975 13(2) p. 152 - 182. Accessed 27 March 2014.][Horowitz, Menashe "History of agricultural research in Israel." Agri.gov.il Accessed 26 March 2014.] It was the first scientific institute in the British Mandate of Palestine.
[Loebenstein, Gad; Putievsky, Eliyahu and Thotapilly G. (ed.) "Agricultural research management. Chapter 18, Agricultural research in Israel." Springer 2007 p. 357 - 365. ] The station was established in response to a proposal by
Chaim Weizmann and
Arthur Ruppin, who recognized the need to advance agriculture in Israel.
[ "ARO Heritage." Agri.gov.il Accessed 3 April 2014.] In 1932, the station was moved to
Rehovot. In 1951, its control was transferred to the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture (Israel having been created in 1948), and the station was renamed the Agricultural Research Station (ARS). When Yitzhak Volcani died in 1951, after a directorship of thirty years, the organization was renamed the Volcani Institute in his honor. In the 1950s, the station was relocated to its present campus in
Rishon LeZion, and in 1971, the ARS became part of the Agricultural Research Organization (ARO) under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Focus of research
Israel is a country with limited water resources. Its climate ranges from Mediterranean in the north to semi-arid and arid in the south. Due to these factors, research by the ARO has focused on:
On July 24, 2017,
UNESCO announced the ARO as one of the laureates of the UNESCO–Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences for 2017, stating "The institute has successfully developed cutting-edge innovations and methodologies in agricultural research with practical applications as well as capacity building programmes to promote food security in arid, semi-arid and desert environments, advancing human well-being."
[ "UNESCO announces winners of 2017 International Research in the Life Sciences Prize." Accessed 25 July 2017.]
Organization
The Agricultural Research Organization (ARO) has six institutes at three regional campuses (Rishon LeZion, Newe Ya'ar, and
Gilat). The institutes include Plant Sciences, Animal Sciences, Plant Protection, Soil, Water, and Environmental Sciences, Postharvest and Food Sciences, and Agricultural Engineering.
[ "European Commission Standing Committee on Agricultural Research - SCAR - National research systems, Israel." European Commission. Accessed 1 April 2014.] There is a seed laboratory for testing seed quality for local use and for export,
[ "The Official seed testing laboratory." Agri.gov.il Accessed 1 April 2014.] and a plant
gene bank to collect, preserve, and evaluate plant species indigenous to Israel, including
landraces and primitive
.
[ "The Israel plant gene bank." igb.agri.gov.il Accessed 1 April 2014] Kidum, a unit of the ARO, manages the commercialization of the organization's intellectual property, technology transfer, and the establishment of partnerships, joint ventures, and business enterprises.
[ "Kidum – R&D applications and technology transfer." Agri.gov.il Accessed 1 April 2014.]
Collaboration
The Agricultural Research Organization collaborates with other government-sponsored researchers, related industry bodies, educational institutions, farmers, and international organizations and scientists.
[ "Israel-India cooperation in agriculture." embassies.gov.il Accessed 1 April 2014.][ "Korea, Israel cooperation on agriculture technology." korea.net Accessed 1 April 2014] The ARO's funding is from the Israeli government, farmers' organizations, and the private sector, as well as the US and the
European Union.
Investment is encouraged through the application of intellectual property rights. Private sector investment stems from companies in related industries, such as manufacturers of pesticides, fertilizers, seeds, plastics, irrigation equipment, and greenhouses.
[ "2-D climate control specially designed for growing the Middle East heat." hortidaily.com Accessed 1 April 2014.][ "Agricultural Research Organization." moag.gov.il Accessed 1 April 2014.][ "Top 9 Israeli fruits and vegetables color world markets." jewfacts.com Accessed 1 April 2014.][ "Icaros and Volcani Institute develop agricultural techniques for Israel." icaros.us Accessed 1 April 2014.]
Education
The Agricultural Research Organization trains students in basic and applied agricultural research methodology and practice. Masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral students may complete their studies through the ARO's collaboration with universities, including The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Bar-Ilan University; Ben Gurion University of the Negev; Technion – Israel Institute of Technology; Tel Aviv University; University of Haifa; and
Ariel University.
[ "Ariel home webpage" Ariel.ac.il 29 April 2013. Accessed 26 March 2014.][ "Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, HUJI." Agri.huji.ac.il 31 May 2012. Accessed 26 March 2014.] The ARO hosts visiting scientists and post-doctoral fellows from Israel and abroad. The organization has a post-doctoral fellowship program for up to 40 candidates from
India and
China.
[ "Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Ph.D. graduates from institutes in India and China." Agri.gov.il Accessed 31 March 2014.]
In collaboration with Israel's Agency for International Development and Cooperation, research staff are involved in providing courses to scholars from developing countries, under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[ "International R & D courses - ARO." Agri.gov.il Accessed 26 March 2014.][ "Cinadco." Mfa.gov.il Accessed 26 March 2014.] The Volcani Institute also hosts courses for farmers from Gaza and the West Bank.[ "Gazan, West Bank farmers learn post-harvest storage techniques in Beit Dagan" Jpost.com Accessed 16 May 2014.]
In 1973, a science-oriented youth unit was founded in cooperation with the Israel Ministry of Education. Junior and high school students may participate in activities including day-long study and enrichment sessions; special research projects and high school assignments in biology, agriculture, and the environmental sciences; science-oriented summer camps; and projects for the benefit of disadvantaged communities.[Meyers, Nechemia "Using cucumbers to curb crime." Jewish Tribune 12 July 2006 Accessed 31 March 2014.]
In 2006, the unit initiated a therapeutic agricultural project for the education and rehabilitation of youth at risk, The Organic Gardening and Marketing Program. The treatment program offers boys and girls an opportunity to study and work in organic gardening and marketing.[ "Ministry of Agriculture rehabilitates troubled youth." moag.gov.il (translated from Hebrew). Accessed 31 March 2014.]
Notable staff
Current
Past
See also
-
Agricultural research in Israel
-
Kibbutz
-
Science and technology in Israel
-
Benjamin Elazari Volcani
External links
