On the occasion of the German-Israeli intergovernmental consultations, Ilse Aigner, Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, received Orit Noked, Israeli Minister of Agriculture, for talks in Berlin on Thursday.
Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection Aigner and the Israeli Agriculture Minister Noked signed an intergovernmental agreement.
The talks focussed on cooperation in the fields of agricultural research, trilateral projects in Africa and in an EU-funded twinning project on rural development and agritourism in Israel. In addition, both ministers were in favour of launching an exchange of officials between the ministries of both countries.
Ilse Aigner and Orit Noked signed an intergovernmental agreement on scientific-technical cooperation in agricultural and food research. This agreement is aimed at pooling the agricultural research expertise of both countries in joint projects addressing the global food situation. This concerns, in particular, issues such as the adaptation to climate change, drought and stress tolerance of wheat and irrigation technologies. Israel's state-of-the-art agricultural sector is renowned for its success in the agricultural production in desert-like areas and can thus serve as a model for other water-deficient regions. Given that both countries are engaged in Africa and have the required expertise, today's consultations also dealt with options for joint trilateral projects in Africa. Moreover, Germany will together with Italy get involved in an EU-funded project between authorities (twinning) in Israel in the fields of rural development and agritourism. The project will start early 2013 and will last for 18 months.
By taking part in the inter-governmental consultations, the bilateral meeting with her Israeli counterpart and by signing the intergovernmental agreement, Federal Minister Aigner is continuing the close cooperation with Israel that has, last but not least, gained momentum due to her visit to Israel in February 2012. The German-Israeli inter-governmental consultations have taken place for the fourth time already. They are chaired by the Heads of Government of both countries and provide a framework for the discussion of all issues related to bilateral cooperation.
