Israel’s JNF and Chad join forces to combat climate crisis and desertification
Israel’s Jewish National Fund (JNF) and the Republic of Chad in Central Africa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote cooperation and the sharing of knowledge between them in the areas of water resource management, sustainable agriculture, forestry and the combat of desertification.
The signing of the MOU between JNF and Chad. (Rafi Ben Hukun/JNF)
The Chad delegation, led by Chad’s Economy Minister Idriss Saleh Bachar, met in Jerusalem on Wednesday with JNF Chairman Avraham Duvdevani and the professional team.
Against the background of global warming and desertification, Chad is facing many agricultural and ecological problems in its fields. The emerging cooperation will help the African country to adapt to the effects of the crisis and deal with their consequences.
As part of the JNF’s fight against the climate crisis, the organization intends to share with Chad solutions for water resource management, sustainable farming techniques, forestation methods, professional training, species development of local seeds and more.
Muslim-majority Chad cut diplomatic ties with Jerusalem in 1972 after a decade of good relations and cooperation. Israel and Chad renewed their diplomatic ties in November 2018, 46 years after they were cut off, as Chad’s President Idriss Deby met with Netanyahu in Jerusalem, the first Chadian president in history to make the visit.
“The Memorandum of Understanding will help strengthen relations with this country, which is one of the leaders in the African Union,” the JNF stated.
JNF Chairman Duvdevani stated that “one of the outstanding goals of the Jewish National Fund is to help and contribute to the world for a better future. Therefore, whoever asks us for help we will always reach out to help him and offer him all the vast knowledge and experience available to us.”
“I congratulate the entire delegation from the Republic of Chad on their arrival in the capital of Israel, Jerusalem, and look forward to the start of work between the JNF and the Republic that will lead to the strengthening of ties between Israel and all countries from the African Union,” he said.
With desert covering a large part of its surface, Israel has developed solutions to make the desert bloom, from which the rest of the world learns.
The State of Israel emphasizes international development to fight desertification through cooperative programs for training, project development and research.
Among Israel’s areas of expertise are water recycling, water management, irrigation, agriculture in arid environments, soil erosion, desalinization, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and afforestation.
Extensive R&D and decades of hands-on experience in dry-lands conditions enable Israel to help other countries.
