What’s happening:
Dairy farms along Israel’s volatile Gaza border have maintained continuous milk production since the onslaught of recent hostilities, thanks to the steadfast dedication of university students from Africa and Asia who refused to evacuate amidst the conflict.
Why it matters:
The choice of these foreign agricultural interns to stay has not only ensured that crucial farm operations persist but has also underscored the unique relationship between Israel and developing world nations, reflecting on the deeply rooted tradition of agricultural and humanitarian cooperation between Israel and other countries.
Driving the news:
While most local staff evacuated, a group of interns from countries like Ghana and Tanzania chose to stay back, aiding dramatically in keeping the dairy operations of Kibbutz Zikim, mere kilometers away from combat zones, alive and functional.
Big picture:
Over 3,200 students from the developing world currently advance their agricultural expertise in Israel. Amid the dire situation stemming from terrorist intrusions, these interns proved instrumental in not just agricultural maintenance but also in exhibiting profound commitment and camaraderie.
Interns’ impact:
The hard work and resilience of these interns have dramatically reassured the shaken agrarian community near the Gaza border, and their participation has highlighted potential for leadership and expertise development critical for both their home countries and Israel’s international relationships.
On-the-ground accounts:
“Without our agricultural interns… we would have had a hard time milking our cows and feeding our calves,” recounts Gabo Altmark, Kibbutz Zikim dairy farm manager, expressing immense gratitude for the students who declined the opportunity to relocate during the crisis.
Kwabena Frimpong, one of the student interns from Ghana, depicts the intense circumstances – rushing to bomb shelters on hearing ‘red alert’ warnings, yet choosing to stay due to a sense of community and shared mission transmitted via heartening text messages from supervisors even during defense confrontations.
Other students like Phearan Ke from Cambodia and Robert Acheampong, another Ghanaian intern, illuminate the amplitude of their motivations—seeded in agricultural opportunity, spiritual kinship, and a desire to grow business expertise through experiences only possible in such high-tech Israeli establishments.
Innovation and support:
The cadre’s perseverance, stirred with high Israeli cow milk yields and innovative dairy technologies, emphasizes Israel’s leading role in advancing agricultural techniques and providing educational avenues for the development of global agricultural leaders.
Further context:
The agricultural internships are through MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, which signifies Israel’s long-term commitment to global development assistance, dating back to initiatives established by former Prime Minister David Ben Gurion in the 1950s.
How it benefits all sides:
Categorized as a triple-win, the internship program nitrifies the prospects of the students, bolsters Israeli farm productivity, and forges stronger ties between Israel and nations worldwide—even those that do not yet hold formal diplomatic relations with Israel.
Bottom line:
Despite the geopolitical complexities highlighted by varying UN votes, the retained presence and endeavor of these interns in Israeli farms transmit a powerful signal of cooperation and shared human endeavor prevailing over conflict, underpinning a case for agricultural diplomacy and testament to the Jewish value of ‘tikkun olam’, which embodies repairing the world through assistance and support.
This story was first published on timesofisrael.com.