From fruit-picking drones to pollination intelligence, Israeli agricultural innovation has continued breaking down barriers ever since Netafim first pioneered drip irrigation over five decades ago at Kibbutz Hatzerim.

Initially born out of necessity in the resource-scare state’s early days, cutting-edge Israeli agricultural innovation has forged ahead in recent years, securing its place as a leading source of digital solutions to agronomic issues far beyond its borders.

Representatives from over 40 countries, from Botswana to Chile, arrived in Israel this week to discover technologies currently driving a fourth agricultural revolution likely to be defined by artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data and drones.

They were hosted by Agriisrael 4.0, a four-day conference showcasing Israel’s hi-tech prowess in agriculture organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Israel Export Institute, Ministry of Economy & Industry, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Israel’s agricultural industry has been a world leader in terms of development and innovation as a whole,” Lior Konitzki, Israel Export Institute vice-director general, told the Post.

“Nowadays, when we see the real integration of technology into agriculture, Israel will be leading the scene as a real global player. Israeli technology is relevant all over the world, whether it is tackling water scarcity in California or precision farming in Holland.”

Read More: The Jerusalem Post