Severe Drought Threatens Israel’s Food Supply: Farmers Demand Urgent Water Relief Measures

David Levy, CEO of the Field Workers’ Organization, has issued an urgent appeal to Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Avi Dichter, warning of the devastating impact of ongoing drought and a critical shortage of water for agriculture across Israel.

In his letter, Levy emphasized that the severe drought and lack of rainfall have significantly affected farmers' ability to maintain crop production. He stressed the urgent need for government intervention, calling for increased water quotas and the removal of punitive water rates for agricultural use.

“The lack of rain and severe drought are severely affecting farmers' crops,” Levy wrote. “Field growers are requesting immediate assistance, with high priority given to increasing water quotas and canceling exceptional rates for all types of agricultural water.”

Massive Crop Losses Reported

During the winter months of 2024–2025, rainfall amounted to only 50% of the seasonal average, forcing farmers to reduce the areas planted, especially in fodder crops for livestock. The result is an unprecedented shortfall: of the 1 million tons of grain typically harvested for food, only 10,000 tons are expected this year—less than 1% of the usual local yield.

To compensate for reduced rainfall, farmers have been heavily reliant on irrigation, leading to an expected 30% shortfall in the water balance for agricultural fields—an impact that will be felt during the entire crop cycle throughout the year.

Expected Damage to Local Production Includes:

• Significant decline in summer and fall open-field vegetable yields, including potatoes, carrots, onions, lettuce, cabbage, and leafy greens

• Reduced industrial crop production, such as corn, tomatoes, beans, broccoli, and cauliflower

• Irreversible drought damage to arable grain and fodder crops, over 90% of which are not irrigated

• Higher water use in summer to grow corn silage as a substitute for lost winter fodder

• Lower seed yields in summer crops, such as peanuts, sunflowers, chickpeas, cotton, and watermelon

Urgent Policy Recommendations

Levy outlined a set of urgent policy actions to mitigate the damage and protect food security:

1. Allow water usage up to 30% beyond existing allocations for all water types—fresh, brackish, and mixed—without exceptional charges

2. Remove restrictions on water transfers and diversions to enable full national water quota utilization

3. Instruct the Water Authority to reallocate remaining 2025 fresh water balances to consumers who exceeded their allocation

4. Provide incentives for spring and summer fodder crop cultivation to reduce future feed shortages

Levy concluded by stressing that the situation is critical, with farmers already facing enormous production losses and struggling to meet the country’s basic food needs.

“This is not just an agricultural issue—it’s a matter of national food security,” he warned.