JERUSALEM, July 20 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli government on Thursday launched a four-year plan to strengthen farming in the Arab, Druze, Circassian, and Bedouin communities, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said.
The plan, at a cost of 213 million new shekels (59 million U.S. dollars), will help reduce social gaps in Israeli society, strengthen local agriculture for the benefit of the future generation, and enhance national resilience, said a ministry statement.
The plan will promote optimal integration of the minority sectors among the entire population while empowering local authorities, promoting occupational diversity, accelerating planning and development, strengthening education, and improving the residents' quality of life, the statement added.
The support will be allocated to 124 cities, towns, and villages throughout Israel, as well as special support to cattle and sheep herders from among the Bedouin diaspora in the southern Negev desert.
The plan will focus on reducing floods, which have intensified in recent winters because of climate change, renewing agricultural infrastructure, and handling agricultural waste and animal carcasses.
Implementation includes the setup and upgrading of drainage facilities, agricultural roads, water pipelines, and livestock and veterinary facilities, alongside special support for the olive industry.
