Degradation of Agricultural Lands in Israel

Agriculture in Israel is practiced under unique and extreme conditions, including long hot summers, many cycles of drought years, and shortage of good quality water. Consequently, extensive use of marginal water, comprising mainly municipal treated wastewater (TWW) on >60% of the irrigated land. Israel’s soil degradation arises primarily from extensive agricultural activities such as frequent tilling, loss of organic carbon, irrigation with variable water quality (i.e., salination and sodification), the impact of climate change on rain patterns, and soil loss due to urbanization and infrastructure. According to estimates, ~70% of the agricultural land in Israel is in danger of soil erosion, of which nearly half is at severe risk, and about half is at moderate risk. In the regions susceptible to soil erosion, soil loss, mainly by water, is estimated at a rate of about 2–4 mm per year. Awareness in Israel by both farmers and policymakers of the importance of employing soil conservation practices to prevent further degradation of the country’s soil resource increased significantly. Leading conservation practices include no or reduced tillage coupled with temporal manure application and use of crop rotation and service crops. Yet, current measures need to be further encouraged and strengthened to ensure sustainable use of Israel’s soils so that the needs of future generations can be met.