Yuma, and Ramat Negev, Israel, will collaborate on common problems
Yuma and Ramat Negev, Israel, have agreed to explore and resolve common problems and issues.
In a special meeting held Sept. 1, the Yuma City Council unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with the Regional Council of Ramat Negev, Israel. The Ramat Negev council jurisdiction is a district spanning 100 kilometers in the Negev desert of Israel south, including Sdeh-Boker the residence of Israel’s first prime minister.
City Administrator Phil Rodriguez pointed out the “stark similarities” between the two regions, including agriculture, wide open spaces and aerospace. Both Yuma and Ramat Negev share a desert climate and borders with other nations, and both regions are grappling with issues related to agriculture, including the recognition of the importance of water for agriculture, digital agriculture technology, and broadband and connectivity for agricultural use.
The Israel region is home of the Ramat Negev Center of Desert Agriculture and borders Egypt on the south. Yuma is the home of the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture and borders Mexico on the south.
Rodriguez likened the MOU to a “handshake” that conveys a willingness to work together for mutual growth and benefit. There is no financial commitment.
Rodriguez noted that the partnership might feel new to some, but in actuality Mayor Doug Nicholls has been “working very hard” to make it happen. In February, the mayor attended the Municipal Innovation Conference in Tel Aviv with the goal of promoting the Yuma megaregion in the global market.
Nicholls also attended the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit in Jerusalem, the largest business conference in Israel that brings together entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, corporate executives, investors and the tech industry. At another Tel Aviv event, Nicholls spoke on the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.
The Arizona Commerce Authority has been exploring potential partnerships with Israel. Last fall Gov. Doug Ducey opened the
Arizona-Israel Trade and Investment Office in Tel Aviv with the mission of growing and strengthening trade and investment between Arizona and Israel.
Yuma has been on the forefront of that mission, Rodriguez said. City officials wanted to “move quickly” with the MOU in order to be the first of many new alliances between Israel and Arizona. The hope is that the alliance will draw investors to Yuma.
Nicholls described it as a “great opportunity” that doesn’t cost anything and doesn’t obligate the city to much more than building a relationship with a very similar community.
The areas of interest and expertise in which Ramat Negev and Yuma wish to collaborate include desert environment agriculture, digital agriculture technologies, 5G broadband and connectivity, water preservation technologies, weather prediction, aerospace technologies, mobility, border control, employment creation and tourism.
The MOU recognizes the need to develop and innovate with “more sophisticated technologies for agriculture in desert conditions,” such as agritech, water-saving technologies and plant irrigation efficiency that will benefit from communications and sensing technologies.
The agreement also notes that border control has become an issue and the need to manage refugees and trade across borders affects both regions and requires innovative approaches, new technologies and expertise.
Yuma and Ramat Negev will also explore collaboration in the following areas: funding for industry technology development and demonstration; advancement in research and academia; fostering of educational exchanges, including among researchers, students, youth groups, culture, etc; encouragement of joint ventures between respective companies; and collaboration between relevant sectors, including agriculture high-tech, aerospace and manufacturing, including funding opportunities and mutual events.
As next steps, a mutual working group will be established and individuals to represent each jurisdiction will be identified.