BARD Presenting at the 2019 U.S.–Israel Joint Economic Development Group (JEDG)

Prof. Yoram Kapulnik took part in the 2019 U.S.–Israel Joint Economic Development Group (JEDG). Delegations from Israel and the U.S. participated in the 34th meeting of the U.S.–Israel Joint Economic Development Group (JEDG) at the U.S. Department of State, October 23rd. The JEDG meeting has taken place annually since 1985. It is the premier platform for U.S.-Israel bilateral economic dialogue. This year, more than 80 officials from both counties discussed economic policy.

Director General of the Israeli Finance Ministry Shai Babad headed Israel’s delegation. Participants included, among others, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer, Governor of the Bank of Israel Prof. Amir Yaron and Chief Economist Shira Greenberg, Eran Nitzan, head of the Israeli economic mission to Washington, Dr. Eitan Yudilevich, Executive Director, BIRD foundation, Dr. Ami Appelbaum, the Chief Scientist and the Chairman of the Board of Israel Innovation Authority, as well as officials from the Israeli ministries of finance, transportation, foreign affairs, Israeli tax authority and Israel’s high education council.

This year’s agenda covered many subjects: risk management for foreign investments, women’s economic empowerment, quantum information science and artificial intelligence research collaboration, exploration of technological innovations in public transportation, and the role of government in encouraging private sector investments for more sustainable development outcomes.

Prof. Kapulnik introduced BARD and the funds’ accomplishments. He presented BARD’s academia-to-industry cooperation program B-Lever. He discussed how the private and public sectors can work together to accelerate R&D and achieve better results in a shorter time frame. While mentioning some of the burning issues our agricultures deal with, he touched on how agricultural R&D can improve food production and nutrition with the final goal of improving human health.

Prof. Kapulnik: "Due to numerous global environmental threats (energy, water shortage, etc.) that may impact food security in both countries there is a need to accelerate the improvement of agriculture productivity and to shorten the time from invention to implementation of newly developed Ag-solutions. BARD has been fostering the US Israel agricultural partnership over the past 40 years. Our joint efforts are making an impressive impact and now we need to use the tools we have to tackle problems and strategically prepare for the future".

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the trajectory of bilateral economic relations and underscored respective commitments to expanding and deepening policy coordination and cooperation across a broad range of sectors.