Can Israel feed itself? Economic model to rethink food self-sufficiency unveiled

When wars, pandemics, and trade disruptions shake global markets, one question becomes urgent for every nation: can we feed ourselves? A new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem offers an answer—and a warning. According to researchers Prof. Iddo Kan, Prof. Israel Finkelshtain, Ph.D. student Yehuda Slater, and Prof. Aron M. Troen, achieving full food self-sufficiency in Israel is technically possible—but only for plant-based foods intended for human consumption, not for livestock feed. In other words, during a severe import blockade, Israel’s food system could sustain a vegetarian population, but not maintain its current levels of animal-based production.

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