The Samuel Neaman Institute has released a new report titled Food Security 2050 – Economic-Environmental Assessment, which provides an in-depth analysis of the challenges and strategies required to ensure a sustainable and resilient food supply in Israel by 2050.
The report addresses the pressing global trends that will shape food security in the coming decades, emphasizing the need to enhance local production, minimize imports, reduce emissions, and adapt agricultural processes to climate change. In Israel, achieving long-term food security depends on addressing three primary challenges:
1. Agricultural Processing Methods: The efficiency and cost-effectiveness of food production rely on adapting to climate challenges and minimizing environmental impact.
2. Natural Resource Limitations: The availability of land and water, including purified wastewater, will be insufficient under current agricultural practices.
3. Consumer Dietary Habits: Shifts in dietary preferences will vary food demand, resource allocation, and agricultural land management.
Key Findings and Recommendations:
The report underscores the significant economic and environmental cost differences between plant-based and animal-based food production. It highlights the need for transformative changes to agricultural practices and consumer diets to establish a sustainable food system. The primary recommendations include:
· Precision and Innovative Agricultural Techniques: Implementing urban farming systems such as soil-less and vertical growing techniques to optimize resource use and free up agricultural land for essential crops.
· Climate-Adapted Crop Management: Expanding the use of smart irrigation, greenhouses, and protective structures to mitigate climate risks and enhance food production efficiency.
· Dietary Transition to the Mediterranean Diet: Encouraging a shift towards plant-based and sustainable food choices, which will reduce strain on natural resources, lower healthcare costs, and support local agricultural innovation.
Economic and Environmental Impact:
The analysis indicates that the projected cost of food production in Israel by 2050 will remain at approximately 42 billion shekels annually (in present value), regardless of whether the country follows current dietary trends or transitions to a Mediterranean diet. However, the latter approach offers several advantages, including:
· Lower per-kilogram production costs for plant-based foods.
· Reduced reliance on imported goods and livestock farming, leading to lower environmental costs.
· Improved public health outcomes, decreasing long-term healthcare expenditures.
The assessment was based on current food production processes and will be easier to adopt as agricultural and land management process become more efficient.
As part of the Food Security 2050 project, this report is one of several assessments produced over the past year, providing a comprehensive roadmap for sustainable food security in Israel.
For more information and to access the full report, please visit: https://www.neaman.org.il/en/food-security-2050-economic-environmental-assessment/
Research team: Dr. Orna Raviv, Prof. Ofira Ayalon, Prof. Eyal Shimoni, Sima Tziperfal, Naama Shapira
Leading Researcher Contact: Dr. Orna Raviv: orna@sni.technion.ac.il
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About the Samuel Neaman Institute
The Samuel Neaman Institute is a national public policy research think tank focused on harnessing higher education, science, engineering and technology for the prosperity and resilience of society and state.
