To boost food security: Israeli official urges Cameroon, others to switch to irrigated agriculture.

His Excellency Gideon Behar

Israeli Special Envoy for Climate Change and Sustainability at the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Gideon Behar, has called on African states including Cameroon to transit from rain-fed agriculture to irrigation-based farming system to guarantee long-term food security across the continent.



The career diplomat, who is set to begin his diplomatic mission as the country’s Ambassador to Kenya, was speaking while addressing a group of African journalists in the historic city of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. The meeting Tuesday, May 13, was held at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In his extemporised presentation during the meeting with the journalists, Ambassador Behar, who previously served in Senegal as Israel’s Ambassador, emphasised the urgent need for strategic reforms and investments in Africa’s agricultural sector.

The senior diplomat noted the increasing impact of climate change across the continent, including desertification, flooding, drying water sources and widespread ecological degradation.

He called for an inclusive and innovative approach from smallholder farmers, who produce a significant proportion of Africa’s food, to revitalise the sector.

Despite the challenges, Ambassador Behar said he was optimistic about Africa’s capacity to overcome adversity, highlighting the continent’s resilience and talent.

“Africa’s biggest challenge today is the shifting rain patterns. There is less rain and, in some places, there is too much rain and floods…and we can’t rely anymore on the historical patterns of rain and precipitation in Africa,” he said. 

Behar, who served as the Director of the Department for Combating Antisemitism and Holocaust Remembrance at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was categorical that the “most important step I think African countries can take today to increase food security is to move into irrigated agriculture through which water will be taken from the ground and used by irrigation”.

“This is our experience in Israel and it has helped us. It has increased our food security. Today, most of the agriculture in Israel is done by irrigation and I think for Africa to increase its food security, there is a dire need to move into more and more irrigated agriculture, especially with the method of drip irrigation which is very simple and very cheap,” he added.

Quizzed if Israel was ready to offer its expertise to help African countries switch to irrigated agriculture, the Ambassador was of the affirmative.

“We have been sharing our knowhow and experience with African countries. Israel is active in the field of agriculture in Africa for almost 60 years and we will continue to do so in the future. We hope that the idea and message of drip irrigation and irrigated agriculture will also become accepted in Africa…the method is simple and very important,” he recounted. 

The diplomat disclosed that: “Irrigated agriculture is a very cheap method. It is very useful for small farmers whom we see in very great numbers in Africa and Cameroon”.

Commenting on the issue of energy supply in Africa, the Ambassador advised African countries to shift quickly to renewable energy, insisting that the continent has the potential.

“Africa has a huge potential in solar, wind, geothermic and renewable energies. I think that there is a great number of opportunities for countries in Africa to have small solar stations for cities, small communities and villages and this is a big asset for the development of Africa because with energy, comes development and if we can do it in the remotest areas in Africa in your case, Cameroon. If that is done, it will definitely help the country move forward,” he concluded.

 

By Mua Patrick in Israel 

 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3449 of Thursday May 15, 2025

 

 

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