Our Vision: Feeding future generations through modern, knowledge-based agriculture, while preserving the quality of the environment.

The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment has been a major contributor to Israel's remarkable achievements in agriculture, through its groundbreaking research and education of generations of students.

The world around us is changing, there is growing awareness of the state of the environment, and there is growing concern due to the over-exploitation of natural resources by mankind. Reduction of water and food resources combined with population growth can lead to hunger. This "new world" has led the Faculty to commit to a responsible role in preserving the environment for future generations, and while doing so, to continuously search for ways to increase sustainable food and water resources.

Tour the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment

Join us for a virtual tour through some faculty landmarks:

See the Greenhouse of the Future, the Bee Research Center, the Fish Research Facility, the Cannabis Research Facility, the International School of Agricultural Sciences, the Joseph Margolis Experimental Farm, the Greenhouse, and the Hebrew University Veterinary Hospital

HUJIBITES

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Sesame: From Ancient Seed to Modern Crop

Sesame seeds are healthy and tasty, but it’s a very labor-intensive crop, as pods must be picked by hand. As a result, sesame production has left Israel, moving entirely overseas. Now, Idan Sabag is working to bring it back. Together with Prof. Zvi Peleg, he is bringing sesame into modern agriculture, making it better suited for mechanized harvest. Idan Sabag is a doctoral student in the Department of Plant Sciences & Genetics in Agriculture
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Medicated Crops

Irrigating with Treated Wastewater

In a world facing increased water shortages, irrigating crops with treated wastewater isn’t just a good idea – it’s a necessity. But what happens when that wastewater contains traces of pharmaceuticals? Dr. Evyatar Ben Mordechay is analyzing how the pharmaceuticals that enter our sewage make their way into the agro-environment, and back into our bodies via crops we consume. Dr. Evyatar Ben Mordechay recently graduated and is now a postdoctoral researcher Department of Soil and Water Sciences.
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Salty & Dry: Plants Struggle to Survive


Healthy soil is critical for sustaining life on earth. In fact, every single bite of food starts as a plant growing in the ground. Dr. Yair Mau studies how the basic act of watering crops affects soil salinity, while gaining insights into basic processes that affect soil quality. He also studies how plants cope with environmental stressors posed by climate change. Dr. Yair Mau is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Soil and Water Sciences.