Israel launches digital data tool to prevent soil loss

Jerusalem [Israel], June 28: The Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Tuesday launched a new digital tool that will provide farmers, researchers and decision-makers with information on farmland conditions to prevent soil loss.
The tool, developed over three years, will allow farmers to conduct optimal cultivation and increase productivity, and will prevent soil loss due to erosion and floods, said a statement issued by the ministry.
It noted that the loss of farmland is one of the main threats to food security in Israel and worldwide, adding that the danger will intensify with the increase of climate change.
This includes an increase in the frequency of extreme rain events that cause soil particles to be detached and moved from the field to the stream.
The digital tool, available online, is based on a drift index that weighs data on the amount and intensity of precipitation, the sensitivity of the land to drift processes, topographical data, and characteristics related to the cultivation methods and crop types.
The new tool also makes it possible to examine different scenarios and helps identify areas sensitive to erosion, so to improve planning processes for flood regulation and runoff management.
Source: Xinhua