Israel

Israel has succeeded in advancing irrigated agriculture on a wide scale on arid and semiarid lands, with an intensive use of technology and capital, and a firm state-led irrigation policy. This chapter describes the evolution of the Israeli irrigation sector since the British Mandate period, distinguishing four distinct eras linked to contrasting political and technological frameworks. It also explores the changes in the institutional framework of the irrigation sector (from the local community level to the state structure). The chapter underscores the critical role of technology in Israeli irrigation, most particularly in the development of micro-irrigation and monitoring systems, and the shift towards desalination and wastewater use for irrigation. Finally, it identifies the major challenges to be overcome, considering water quantity and quality problems, and the impact of climate change, possibly compounded by tensions with neighboring countries.