The Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in collaboration with the Tekoma Directorate, the Montreal Federation, and the Kedma organization, is launching a new national project for the reconstruction of the South: to establish a youth farming village. The village will be integrated into agricultural work and contribute to the reconstruction of agriculture in the Tekoma region, severely damaged during the Iron Swords War.

The combined investment for the creation and maintenance of the village will amount to approximately 4 million shekels (approximately one million euros). The project's objectives are to strengthen agriculture in national priority areas and assist farmers, especially in areas affected by the Iron Swords War in the south, as well as to train young people to establish and work on farms, while revitalizing the sector.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the "Yabul Youth Village" in Moshav Yabul, Tekoma region, took place today in the presence of Minister of Agriculture and Food Security MK Avi Dichter and Chairman of the Eshkol Regional Council Michal Uziahu. Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Avi Dichter said: "Raising a new generation in agriculture is one of the ministry's goals for the coming years, and we are investing in it and will continue to do so in the future." The government's decision to increase agricultural production by a third over the next decade can be achieved primarily by relying on young farmers, entrepreneurs at heart and Zionists in spirit, who will guide us toward a better future. Investing in young farmers is even more justified when it comes to restoring agriculture in the Gaza Strip, allowing it to recover and thrive even more than before. We are doing this now in the south and we will do so in the north and everywhere. Rise up and succeed!

As part of the five-year plan to restore the Tekuma region and the severe damage caused to agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has pledged to help farmers restore destroyed and abandoned farms through a unique project that will encourage young people to integrate into the countryside, help farmers restore their farms, and strengthen the future of agriculture in the south.

The project focuses on the creation of a village for young farmers in the Yavol settlement, in the Tekuma region, which will allow young men and women to gain practical experience in real agricultural life, acquire a profession for the future, and live and work with a full salary. All of this will pave their way, allow them to specialize in the agricultural sector, and contribute to the recovery of farming communities affected during the war. This model embodies cooperation between the veteran generation of farmers and a new generation of young people, who will become ordinary farmers and continue to prosper and strengthen the "granary of grain and vegetables of the State of Israel." This is a long-term strategic project, planned over several months as part of a plan to restore, develop, and strengthen settlements and agriculture in the south.

This project is also part of the solution to one of the main challenges facing Israeli agriculture: the growing shortage of young farmers. In recent decades, the number of active farmers has declined significantly, and the average age of a farmer in Israel is currently 62, one of the highest among OECD countries. While the impressive increase in efficiency and production growth are considerable, the limited number of new farmers currently in the community is insufficient to maintain the stability of the sector, which is necessary to ensure national food security.

The village will offer soldiers, veterans, and young people between the ages of 21 and 35 a supportive environment that will allow them to connect with and integrate into the world of agriculture. The program will accept up to 30 young people each year, who will receive accommodation in a young community will be provided with full-time employment opportunities on nearby farms, practical agricultural training, and career guidance to help them specialize in the field. In addition, the community will receive free social enrichment activities, with an emphasis on strengthening Zionist and Israeli identity, with the mission of strengthening settlements and agriculture in the south.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security believes the project not only seeks to address the labor shortage in the agricultural sector, but also to strengthen young people's connection to the values ​​of the land, Zionism, and agriculture in Israel, and to serve as a catalyst for the creation of a new generation of farmers in the region. The ministry will continue to work hard to strengthen the agricultural sector and inject new energy into it, with the goal of increasing the interest and enthusiasm of the new generations. By fostering leadership values, along with practical experience in agricultural work within the country and in national priority areas, the ministry ensures the future of Israeli agriculture as a leading, strong, and prosperous industry that provides fresh, high-quality food to the country's residents.

For his part, Hagai Snir, Director of the Vocational Training Service (TVS) at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, stated: "After extremely difficult months for Israeli society, and particularly for residents of the south, I am proud that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is leading a project that renews Israeli agriculture, particularly the agricultural sector. Israeli society deserves outstanding young farmers, and we, as those responsible for food security in the State of Israel, must ensure increased agricultural production in Israel and train a new generation of quality and innovative farmers. The resilience of Israeli agriculture depends on its future. The project we are launching not only represents an opportunity for young people, but also an engine for economic and community growth in the periphery." This significantly strengthens agriculture along the borders and ensures national food security.” Assaf Yitzhaki, Head of the Agriculture Division at the Tekoma Directorate, stated: “Integrating youth into agriculture in the Tekoma region fulfills two important objectives of the Directorate: strengthening settlements and local agriculture. Investing in youth is an investment in the future, and the Directorate considers it of utmost importance. We intend to continue developing tools and programs that strengthen the agriculture of the future in the region.”

These statements were echoed by Lior Keinan, Executive Director of the Kedma Organization, who stated: “Laying the foundation stone for the youth village in Yabil, near the perimeter fence in the southern Gaza Strip, is a national responsibility: bringing in discharged soldiers who will develop here in agricultural and community activities, and strengthening the wonderful residents and communities living here in the Eshkol Regional Council.” This is not only the beginning of a youth village, but also of cooperation and, above all, a boost for a living and dynamic community facing a frontier that requires presence and vision.