September 25, 2025 – The Agricultural Sciences Conference in Israel took place between September 15–17, 2025, at the Ramada Hotel in Jerusalem. The conference is held under the auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Volcani Institute – Agricultural Research Organization, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, ICL, and many other bodies. 

Over the course of three days, 32 scientific and professional sessions were held in a wide range of fields: fertilization, irrigation, animal welfare, precision agriculture, weeds management, technological innovation, sustainability, regenerative agriculture, remote sensing, cellular agriculture, data science in agriculture, and the development of crops adapted to a changing climate. 

The conference promoted interdisciplinary dialogue for sharing up-to-date knowledge and scientific and technological innovations, discussed the central challenges of agriculture in Israel, and strengthened collaborations between academic institutions, extension services, ag ech, food ech, and the public sector, and of course, farmers.

The uniqueness of the conference lies in the fact that, once every five years, it unites all scientific and professional agricultural societies under one roof, creating a central platform to bring together all research and innovation in Israel, deepen collaboration, and increase exposure of findings to a wide audience of stakeholders, including researchers, farmers, industry, and decision-makers. 

More than 700 scientists, researchers, professionals, and students from Israel’s leading research and academic institutions participated. These include the Volcani Institute, the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment at the Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, Ben-Gurion University, University of Haifa, Bar-Ilan University, the Weizmann Institute, the Technion, Tel-Hai College, ORT Braude, the Extension Service (SHAHAM), regional research and development centers, and more. 

Dr. Ittai Herrmann, from HU’s Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment  and Chair of the Organizing Committee, stated:
“The Agricultural Sciences Conference is the only event where all agricultural scientific societies in Israel and the leading research institutes gather under one roof to share knowledge, know-how, experience, and innovative developments. Collaboration between the various disciplines and organizations is contributing to advancing agricultural knowledge, supporting food security and innovation in Israel and worldwide.” 

Dr. Maor Mitzrafi, from the Volcani Institute and Chair of the Scientific Committee, stated:
“Climate challenges already affect us in ways that are changing our lives. Sharing knowledge among scientific societies is crucial for creating joint insights that will enable us to confront these challenges. It is important for the public to know that investing significant resources in research is essential in overcoming the gap between the ever-growing demand for food and food consumption.” 

It was a momentous and innovative conference, full of distinguished leaders in the agricultural science field. We look forward to the next conference, to be held in 2030.