Research Center for Agriculture under Climate Change | Volcani Institute
Events and seminars
Presentation at the EGU General Assembly 2026
Dotan Perlstein, a PhD student from the Agroclimatology Lab, presented his work at the annual European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, held in Vienna from May 3–8, 2026.
His presentation, titled “Establishment of the Israeli Soil Moisture Monitoring Network”, focused on the development of Israel’s soil moisture and temperature monitoring network and its role in advancing agroclimatic and environmental research.
The monitoring network provides valuable long-term data for studying soil-water dynamics under changing climatic conditions and supports research related to agricultural resilience, water management, and climate adaptation.
The EGU General Assembly is one of the leading international conferences in the geosciences field, bringing together researchers from around the world to present and discuss recent scientific advances.
We are proud to see this important research presented on an international stage.
May 2026
Strengthening Collaboration Between Agricultural and Meteorological Research
On April 28 2026, the Center for Agricultural Research under Climate Change at the Volcani Institute hosted a delegation from the Meteorological Service for a professional visit.
The program included a tour of the center’s research facilities and a demonstration of the Phenomobile platform. During the meeting, Dr. Roi Ben-David presented the center’s activities and collaborations, and Dr. Ehud Strobach presented developments in high-resolution data integration and soil-based measurement networks.
The discussion highlighted the value of integrating meteorological data into agricultural research and identified opportunities for future collaboration.
April 2026
A New Drought-Resistant Wheat Variety Developed at Volcani Institute
A recent article published by The Times of Israel highlights the development of a new drought-resistant wheat variety at the Volcani Institute, created as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Israeli agriculture under changing climate conditions.
The new variety, “Ya’akobi,” was developed by Dr. Roi Ben-David and his research team. It is characterized by early maturation, resistance to drought and heat stress, and adaptation to challenging growing conditions, particularly in southern Israel. The development of resilient crop varieties such as this is becoming increasingly important for addressing the impacts of climate change on agriculture and strengthening future food security.
The variety was named in memory of agronomist Yaakov (“Ya’akobi”) Inon, who was murdered alongside his wife Bilha during the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Moshav Netiv Ha’asara. Over the years, Inon played a significant role in Israeli agriculture and field crop research, working closely with both farmers and researchers.
The development of the “Ya’akobi” variety reflects the connection between advanced scientific research and a deep commitment to Israeli agriculture and to the people who dedicated their lives to it. For the full article
April 2026
Thank You to All Participants of the Seminar:
Agriculture and Climate Change – Adaptation and Mitigation | Neve Ya’ar 2026
The seminar focused on the challenges facing Israeli agriculture under climate change, while fostering connections between applied research and adaptation and mitigation strategies.
The discussions throughout the day highlighted both the challenges and opportunities emerging at the intersection of agriculture, research, and policy, as well as the important role agriculture plays in addressing climate change.
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Webinar #2
The center’s second webinar featured Prof. Heribert Hirt, Head of the Darwin21 Desert Research Initiative at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).
In his lecture, “Harnessing the desert plant–soil–microbiome for ensuring food safety under climate change conditions,” Prof. Hirt demonstrated how desert plant–soil–microbiome systems can offer innovative solutions
Webinar
On July 3, 2025, the center's first webinar took place, hosted by Prof. Senthold Asseng from the Technical University of Munich,
In the lecture “The Impact of Climate Change on Wheat"
The webinar was held in collaboration with the FCCF Consortium and was attended by researchers and professionals from a variety of fields.
2025 Agriculture-Climate Conference
On March 19, 2025, a conference was held on "Agriculture-Climate: New Research and Interfaces for Climate Challenges," initiated by extension Service at the ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Center for Agriculture under Climate Change, and in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Agriculture.
The conference dealt with the effects of climate change on the agricultural sectors in Israel, and innovative ways to deal with environmental challenges in order to ensure food security.
During the day, current research from the field, the institute, and academia was presented, in diverse areas such as adapting agricultural interfaces to changing climate conditions, developing resistant varieties, optimized irrigation methods, hormonal applications, and more.
Opening Conference – Research Center for Agriculture under Climate Change, 2024
The conference opened with a ceremony to inaugurate the quarantine cell array.
In the presence of Mr. Oren Lavie, Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture
and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, the management of the Agricultural Research Directorate and the Plant Protection and Inspection Services.
In addition to the presentation of the center's infrastructure by Dr. Roy Ben David, director of the center.
Scientific lectures were presented in the fields of modeling and forecasting, plant protection, and climatic studies in the olive and tomato sectors in Israel.
Finally, an overview of the effects of climate change on Israeli agriculture was given by Dr. Amir Givati, Director of the Meteorological Service.
We set off.
Hoping for fruitful joint work
