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some thing to learn from israel : Community Farming: A lesson from Israel

jha

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At present Israel is the most important strategic partner of India. It has already replaced France to acquire the second position as a defense equipments supplier and believed to be the number one in future replacing Russia too. We wonder what makes this tiny nation so successful in sophisticated technological arena. Israel is admired world wide for the quality and reliability of their defense products and that is even by the so called enemies.
But here, I am trying to draw your attention to a less known area of Israel’s growth. That is agriculture. How many of us even know how Israel is performing in Agriculture. With little knowledge of geography, anyone can say that Israel is not a place where agriculture can be supported. But here is the surprise and I should say that is no way less exciting than Israel’s success in defense industry.

Israel does not have a geography which makes it appear instantly to be best suited to agriculture. Not only is more than half of the land area desert, but also the climate and water resources do not make agriculture an instantly attractive industry. Just 20% of the land area is naturally arable. Total agriculture represents only 2.5 % of GDP and agriculture workers make about 3.7 % of total employment in the country. But Israel produces 95% of its requirement . Though it imports grain, oil seeds, coffee, sugar etc but this import is more than offset by exports and the country remains a net exporter of foods. And Israel is now a world leader in Agriculture Technology too.

Most of Israel's agriculture is based around co-operative principles, which evolved during the start of the twentieth century. Two unique forms of agricultural settlements; the kibbutz, a collective community in which the means of production are communally owned and each member's work benefits all; and the moshav, a farming village where each family maintains its own household and works its own land, while purchasing and marketing are conducted co-operatively.Both communities provided a means not only to realise the dream of the pioneers to have rural communities based on social equality, co-operation and mutual aid but also to gain agricultural output in a productive means.Today, between kibbutzim and moshavim, 76% of the country's fresh produce is output, as well as many processed food products.

We are gifted with vast fertile planes and thousands of water bodies. We have huge manpower too. But our performance in Agriculture in terms of productivity is pathetic even when we are the largest producer of many crops. Condition of the farmers is also nothing to be proud of. Many of them are below poverty line and every now and then we get the shocking news of farmers committing suicide. There is wide fluctuation in agri-commodity prices because of poor planning. Distribution system is unplanned and storage facilities too are not enough. Can we take any lesson from Israel about how proper vision and effort to mutual benefit can make wonders? How with so less resources they can attain such level of productivity and how their agricultural community becomes a backbone of their nation. What do we need to improve productivity? A good student in eighth standard can tell you in single breath – Proper irrigation, introduction of modern equipments and high yielding crops, fertilizer and pesticides. You may add easy loan and insurance facilities to alleviate the problems of the farmers. But why we are failing to solve the problem. Because it can not be solved addressing the farmers individually. It is bound to be disconnected somewhere. And here is the beauty of Community farming. When all members of a community take up the work together dissolving their self-interests it becomes easier to allocate irrigation water properly, it becomes possible to buy modern equipments with contribution from its members. It becomes easier for government or bank or Insurance companies to address the needs of a community than to an individual.

The traditional practice of Kibbutz in Israel was more inclined to socialism and based on equality. Every member used to get equally from the community, children was to be reared by the community etc. But this tradition has gone through many changes, capitalism has crept in, but the tradition adopted with the changes and prospered. Many communities have gone much beyond agriculture. They are in business of manufacturing machineries, arranging tours and even manufacturing of defense products. Can we imitate their roadmap here in India? Can our farmers achieve their level of prosperity through community farming? Let us ponder a bit.

The reality is we can be inspired by their success but we need to draw our own plan to draft community farming in India. As an example, in backward areas, simply saying, in the world of have-nots we can follow their socialist model. With help of government we can not only improve agricultural production but lead these poor people to a prosperous life based on equality and sharing of community’s wealth. All other development works can be done keeping the community firm in centre. But in other areas where individual farmers with more resources would not be ready to share his resources with each other so easily. Reason is simple, if Ram has more land than Kishen why Ram will handover his land to the community to get same return as Kishen. Here we need to bring in more capitalistic version of community farming though the basic frame work will remain same. And I believe, if properly implemented this system can give us an alternative to our poor rural administration frame work.

A capitalistic model of community farm must work like a company where all land owners are like share holders. The revenue generated will be distributed in proportion of the contribution in capital (land, money or other assets) of the community farm. Ownership will have no bearing in working in the farm. Wages of the workers will be paid by the community and work will be supervised by the persons Community has chosen or recruited. A land owner can work in the farm to earn extra income. Or he can stay away from it being happy with his share of profit. If necessary, community can borrow out side workers.

The community will decide what crop pattern they are going to follow and level of production following the trend in market. They can negotiate with industries in advance for supplying their commodities. Insurance companies will have to deal with a community farm rather than individual. Government aid or bank loans will be offered to the community not to the individual thus ensuring better chance of repayment. Agro-research institutes and educational institutes will be helping the community farms in scientific process, training of workers and management. Other development works like child education, medical facilities can be done keeping a community as a centre. Here I am providing a data for better understanding of this System.



It is true Human beings are not very responsive to changes. Specially those who have at least something to loss. Even if Government tries to implement community farming, majority of the farmers will get scared. So, it is those backward areas where it can be implemented first. If it gives good results, I am sure farmers in more prosperous regions will volunteer to set up community farms together.

although everywhere india is mentioned but if same methods are tried in pakistan it would give better results there also..

comments awaited..
 
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It's so SAD our Enemies are so hardworking and Advanced.

Once i did a lot of research on Israeli Agriculture and Came to the Conclusion that Israeli Agriculture is even far More Advanced than the American Agriculture(Or any other Countries Agriculture).I mean they have turned a desert into such a land which Produces more Per Acre than one of The world's most fertile Plains the Indus Valley.

It's such a shame that Israel is so advanced and we Muslims who are only now left in the field of Agriculture are so behind.
 
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It's so SAD our Enemies are so hardworking and Advanced.

Once i did a lot of research on Israeli Agriculture and Came to the Conclusion that Israeli Agriculture is even far More Advanced than the American Agriculture(Or any other Countries Agriculture).I mean they have turned a desert into such a land which Produces more Per Acre than one of The world's most fertile Plains the Indus Valley.

It's such a shame that Israel is so advanced and we Muslims who are only now left in the field of Agriculture are so behind

they got a country and so much of palestanian land for free ... all sorts of help available for western world just to supress the muslim world ""they are robers .. the state no matter how good democracy it is but they will never see peace because the way they are created was wrong..
 
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Small country israel can teach 100 more technological advances to even developed country
 
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they got a country and so much of palestanian land for free ... all sorts of help available for western world just to supress the muslim world ""they are robers .. the state no matter how good democracy it is but they will never see peace because the way they are created was wrong..

its altogether a different issue of them being robbers...the topic i raised was their hard work and zeal to achieve so much even in agricultural field..we ought to learn from them...but its your choice whether you want to learn or, not..:cheers:
 
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they got a country and so much of palestanian land for free ... all sorts of help available for western world just to supress the muslim world ""they are robers .. the state no matter how good democracy it is but they will never see peace because the way they are created was wrong..

Brother that is a different thing all together.Yes they are Robbers.But we are talking about their hard work.

You know what when Israel captured Sinai Peninsula it was nothing but a desert.But Within a decade they turned the Peninsula into one of world's most attractive tourist Place.

Boy these Zionists are very Hardworking.
 
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they got a country and so much of palestanian land for free ... all sorts of help available for western world just to supress the muslim world ""they are robers .. the state no matter how good democracy it is but they will never see peace because the way they are created was wrong..

bro, whether they stole the land or not is a different matter. Fact remains that Israel managed to cultivate that land into an agricutural paradise, while their Arab neighbours, who have similar land, did not. Even when that same land was under the palestinians, it was not used efficiently for agriculture.

Even we in the subcontinent, who have some of the most fertile lands in Asia, or the world for that matter, are much less efficient in agriculture.

Just because someone is your enemy doesn't mean everything they do is wrong. I think everyone can appreciate and learn from israel's agricultural progress. Respecting an enemy's achievements does not lower oneself.
 
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Israel is most intelligent and hard working people in the world.
 
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Thanks for the useful post. Israel's agricultural model holds lessons for everyone - particularly those in developing countries - from what little I have across on this topic.

It goes to show once again that the strength of a nation is first and foremost its people.

But the strength of a people ultimately depends on their cause.

And the strength of their cause depends on ...
 
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To be honest this came around from a desire to be independent and self reliant not only in agriculture but in various other fields such as high-tech,medical research, etc.. The only way this was done was investing in the right places at the right time main idea behind is i.e. Investing in the future for the betterment of the people and eventually distribution of wealth.

By the way many people will be surprised to know that Israel also exports a lot of Agricultural and other stuff such as manufactured good also to the Arab world. So next time someone comes across a orange or potato or strawberries in Dubai's or Muscats Carrefour (other places as well) its most probably from Israel.

Exported from Ashdod or Haifa via Cyprus or Malta where the Bill of Lading and origin are replaced and changed. Everyone involved knows of this exactly its basically the same way as Pakistan and India do business via Dubai.


PS: Beware of the Oranges next time ;)
 
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Israel is most intelligent and hard working people in the world.
I was reading an article on the comparison of current Russian spies caught by US and Israeli tech espionage on US. I wasn't able to relocate that Article (which I think I should ve shared on PDF) anyways here is the part of that affair
U.S. Jew indicted as possible Israel spy
Court documents reveal ties between Israel Aerospace Industries and the man accused of spying for Israel.

Nozette.jpg


New documents presented in federal court in Washington, D.C. reveal deep ties (more than was known) between Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Dr. Stewart David Nozette, an American astronomer accused of spying for Israel.

The media here covered his arrest on October 19, 2009 and then interest waned, though the American media are still monitoring the case.

Two attorneys in the counterespionage unit of the U.S. Department's of Justice National Security division, Deborah Curtis and Heather Schmidt, presented documents found on the scientist's computer. One document, titled "Proposed Operations for 2005-2006," referred to the need to carry out "a penetration of NASA," the U.S. space agency.

Another document, according to the prosecution, shows Nozette attempted to obtain highly confidential material by using his high-level security clearance and infiltrating other people's computers.

Other documents mention the names of Yossi Weiss and Yossi Fishman. Weiss is a former project manager and today the deputy CEO of IAI and head of the company's missile and space division. Fishman was the IAI's representative in the U.S. and is today the CEO of ODF Optronics.

Fishman told Haaretz he knew Nozette the way he knew other Americans employed by the IAI at the time as consultants. "We did not engage in any kind of spying activity or information gathering, perish the thought. The relationship was business as usual."

The IAI is not mentioned specifically by name in the documents. It is referred to as a foreign company or as a space company owned by the Israeli government." Background talks with administration officials indicate the references are indeed to IAI.

Unreported visits

The indictment and the documents indicate that Nozette was employed for nine years as an IAI consultant. Versions vary as to how much he was paid, from $170,000 to $225,000. His direct superior was Israel Aircraft Industries International, a U.S.-registered company.

The FBI searched Nozette's home and computer and found additional proof of his connection to Israel. He visited here several times, but did not report this - as is required by his high security clearance. The FBI confiscated letters he wrote to Israelis, reports he forwarded to the IAI, a map of Israel, photos of assorted places in Israel, a Hebrew-language catalog of archaeological artifacts and other items.

Nozette, 52, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, was arrested after FBI surveillance that included wiretapping and undercover photography. The operation followed the former astronomer's interrogation on suspicion of tax evasion and defrauding the U.S. government. Nozette worked out plea bargain with the Justice Department; he admitted to fraud and accepted a sentence of up to three years in jail, plus a fine of $265,000. His jail term would have started in November, but he was arrested on the new and more serious charge of espionage.

Nozette, who was born in Chicago, has Jewish parents but there is no evidence he ever went to synagogue or Jewish community centers. His neighbors said he was "a Zionist" but without evidence attesting to this. From a young age, his interest was science. He studied at the University of Arizona and earned a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Immediately, in 1983, he went to work for U.S. agencies, including NASA, the Pentagon and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory near San Francisco, which focuses on nuclear weapons. By virtue of these positions, he enjoyed a very high security clearance. One of the important studies he participated in found water at the Moon's southern pole. Nozette subsequently left government work and set up a private company as a consultant to firms in India and the IAI. The latter continues to refuse, vehemently, to address this embarrassing episode, which apparently has not done damage to the company.

Nozette was not the only person employed by the company as a consultant. Over the years, the IAI as well as other Israeli defense-related industries operating in the U.S., such as Elbit and Rafael, hired as consultants dozens of Americans, mainly retired former army officers and senior officials.

Today as well, the IAI and its subsidiaries in the U.S. continue to do business there and to cultivate ties. It is rather clear to them, and this is indeed fairly routine business practice, that to obtain contracts and win grants from the U.S. administration, doors must be opened. For that, people with connections are needed to open those doors. This was one of Nozette's assignments. Against this backdrop he apparently tried (among other things) to help the "penetration" of NASA. IAI, which produces space missile launchers, satellites and other space technologies, hoped to win contracts and development grants and enter joint ventures.

While he was being investigated for fraud, Nozette told a friend he would be willing to work for the Mossad. This information, along with the fact that he was a consultant to the IAI, led the FBI to suspect Nozette of being a Mossad agent, or at least psychologically ready to be one. So a sting operation was set up. An FBI agent pretending to be a Mossad agent met with Nozette and asked him for information. Nozette reportedly agreed, supplied information and received $11,000. These contacts were documented.

The indictment does not mention Israel nor has the administration made any complaints. Nevertheless Israel since its establishment systematically conducted spying missions on U.S. soil - for around a quarter of a century. Primarily, it was nuclear and technological-military spying.

The Jonathan Pollard case brought an end to all spying activities; there is a clear directive from prime ministers, defense ministers, Military Intelligence chiefs and the Mossad on this matter. But the U.S. media and the administration officials have a hard time believing Israel on this subject, and the Nozette case does not contribute to clearing the atmosphere of suspicion regarding future intentions.
U.S. Jew indicted as possible Israel spy - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

here is the some of the second part of article the roots of Israelis in US Admin
Israeli Spying on the United States

[The Pentagon and the Department of State] are channels through which flow thousands of messages dealing with the nation's top secrets each day...

But how secure are the secrets?

The leaks to Israel are fantastic. If I have something I want the secretary of state to know but don't want Israel to know, I must wait till I have a chance to see him personally.

This declaration came from an ambassador, still on active duty in a top assignment, while he reviewed his long career in numerous posts in the Middle East. Although hardly a household name in the United States, his is one of America's best-known abroad. Interviewed in the State Department, he spoke deliberately, choosing his words carefully: "It is a fact of life that everyone in authority is reluctant to put anything on paper that concerns Israel if it is to be withheld from Israel's knowledge," said the veteran. "Nor do such people even feel free to speak in a crowded room of such things."

– Paul Findley, They Dare To Speak Out
(Entire chapter coming soon.)
Israeli Spying on the United States
 
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