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Expert from Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture Visits the Philippines
The Embassy of Israel in Manila has invited Mr. Omar Zeidan, Deputy Director for Extension Services of Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture to the Philippines from September 15-19, 2014, together with Israeli Ambassador Designate H.E. Effie Ben Matityau, and met with top officials from the Philippine Government relevant to his fields of expertise – horticulture and post-harvest. This is another link in a long chain of activities that is helping to strengthen the already warm relations between both countries.
As such in 2006, both governments decided to create the Philippine-Israeli Center for Agricultural Training (PICAT) which seeks to promulgate an agricultural and R&D coordinator that will promote farm productivity, profitability, and sustainability. The pilot phase began in the province of Nueva Ecija with the cooperation of Central Luzon State University.
The program which is now on its 8th year has sent hundreds of Filipino professionals to Israel to train in multiple agricultural methodologies and trained hundreds more here in the Philippines. One example is how to properly cultivate land, horticulture and the proper use of farming technologies. In an age when food security is so important these tools can benefit all and aid the Philippines in reaching food independence.
Participants of the Training on Nursery Establishment and Management from various provinces in Luzon along with (seated left to right) the Director of DAR Region III – Engr. ArnelDizon, Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture Deputy Director for Extension Services – Mr. Omar Zeidan and Israel Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission – Mr. Adam Levene.
Mr. Zeidan, Deputy Director for Extension Services of Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and former Director of Israel’s Center for International Agricultural Development Cooperation (CINADCO) which is MASHAV’s implementing agency for agriculture and rural development, specializes in field crops and growing vegetables in open fields and under protected/restricted conditions.
During his stay, he visited various demonstration farms in the Central Luzon that were established in cooperation as part of the PICAT project. He also conducted a high level training seminar together with the Department of Agrarian Reform on topics such as identifying which factors affect the growing of seedlings, requirements in establishing a nursery and the method of protecting plants from pests.
Photo above: Director of DAR Region III, Engr. Arnel Dizon Israel Embassy’s, Deputy Chief of Mission, Mr. Adam Levene and Mr. Omar Zeidan during the question and answer portion. (Contributed Photo)
