The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research,
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU)
The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research were established in 1974. Today, they are global leaders in research on desertification and sustainable development of the drylands. In addition, researchers and students investigate ways to meet global challenges related to food security, water scarcity, clean energy, and more. To address these challenges, researchers help to harness dryland ecosystems around the world for human habitation and survival with innovative science and cutting-edge technology. The Blaustein Institutes are located at the Sede Boqer Campus of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, in the heart of the Negev Desert, which covers some 60 percent of the land of Israel and represents the country’s last open frontier for sustainable development. Our scientists dwell in the desert—in physical and intellectual interaction with their living laboratory.
The French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands
Approximately 40% of the Earth's terrestrial surface comprises drylands home to more than 2 billion people. These arid areas, including diverse ecosystems such as deserts, savannahs, and tropical dry forests, are threatened by over-exploitation and desertification. With this global problem in mind, scientists at the FAAB are engaged in cutting-edge basic and applicable research to empower sustainable agricultural solutions in arid areas where traditional methods of agriculture are difficult – or impossible – to implement. Research at the FAAB is focused on two main directions:
1. Soil-Plant-Atmosphere continuum with environmental stress
2. Aquaculture
Much of the land that has the potential for agriculture is arid or semi-arid, and plants growing in such areas are subject to harsh environmental conditions (such as drought, high salinity, temperature extremes, and high light intensities), significantly reducing productivity. The increasing salinization of soils compounds the problem due to irrigation malpractices, global warming, and desertification.
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) is the fastest growing research university in Israel. With 20,000 students, 4,000 staff and faculty members, and three campuses in Beer-Sheva, Sede Boqer and Eilat, BGU is an agent of change, fulfilling the vision of David Ben-Gurion, who envisaged the future of Israel emerging from the Negev. Today, BGU’s mission continues to effect change, locally, regionally and internationally. With five faculties and several worldrenowned research institutes, BGU is a recognized national and global leader in many fields, actively encouraging multidisciplinary collaborations with government and industry, and nurturing entrepreneurship and innovation in all its forms.
