Dispatches from Israel
Hakuna Maji, “no water,” is the first Swahili phrase I learned in Kenya. We heard it in every community we visited seeking a partner for our sustainable agriculture project. In the Arava desert in Israel, we are familiar with a lack of water, yet thanks to Jewish National Fund-USA’s investments in water, it has never limited our farmers’ productivity. The Arava’s challenges shaped it into the place it is today: innovative, creative, and a world leader in agricultural R&D. This inspired the creation of the Kasser Joint Institute for Food, Water, and Energy Security. We combine the Arava’s knowledge and experience with that of the University of Arizona.
This past July, on an empty plot in Makueni, Kenya, surrounded by 500 community members, in the presence of the governor of Makueni H.E Mutula Kilonzo Jr., we signed an agreement with the community to teach them how to bring “maji” – water, back. Soon, an Agrivoltaic site, which grows plants under solar panels, will be established there. The power generated will operate water pumps and irrigate the local field, provide clean water and electricity for the nearby school, and we will also show the farmers how to diversify their crops.
For a project like this, sustainability is key. The community has to be able to operate the technology long after we leave. So, we’ve hired local alumni from Jewish National Fund-USA’s agricultural school in the Arava as operators. They, in turn, will train the community and maintain the connection between the Arava and the site.
Over the first three years of this project, the operation and output will be analyzed by our Kasser Joint Institute researchers from the Arava and the University of Arizona, to further optimize its impact.
Jewish National Fund-USA supports the land and the people of Israel, and by initiating the Kasser Joint Institute as part of Blueprint Negev they made a clear statement: The Arava is a light unto the world, this project is proof.
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