President Peres Praises HU’s Research to Feed World During Visit to Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food & Environment

President Peres Praises HU’s Research to Feed World During Visit to Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food & Environment

Details about some of Israel’s most recent and innovative achievements in agriculture were presented to Israeli President Shimon Peres during his visit at the end of last week to the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

In the course of his visit to the faculty’s Rehovot campus, the president heard a review from the faculty dean, Prof. Aharon Friedman, of research aimed at solving the problem of world hunger. In particular he heard from Prof. Yehoshua Saranga about his research regarding the potential of crop adaptation to better feed the world, and Prof. Shahal Abbo on his research on the benefits of hummous as a nutritious food for a hungry world.

The president then visited the laboratory of Prof. Avner Adin, where he heard of what is being done in water treatment and recycling and the hothouse of Dr. Menachem Moshelion, who researches water-saving and high-yield plants that are suitable for growing in dry regions. At the end of his visit, Peres was the guest at a luncheon with heads of departments and doctoral students.

The president said at the end of his visit, “I am proud of Israeli developments and technology in the area of agriculture and can say wholeheartedly that you, at the Hebrew University, are the best ambassadors of the State of Israel. No diplomatic explanations can serve as an alternative to your enormous contribution to agricultural development and  the eradication of world hunger.”   

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The president was presented with a gift consisting of agricultural products produced at the faculty, including olives, wine, honey and exotic fruits.

Also participating from the Hebrew University in the presidential visit were the chairman of the Hebrew University Board of Governors, Mickey Federmann, and Vice-President for External Affairs Carmi Gillon.