JERUSALEM, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Thursday announced a plan to expand and rejuvenate the country's agricultural sector.
The purpose of the program is to increase the total number of agricultural lands cultivated in Israel, and to attract young, high-quality, and motivated labor force to the industry, the ministry noted.
As part of the plan, the ministry will support new farmers and farmers who have not worked in the field for at least seven years with a total of 10 million shekels (3.06 million U.S. dollars). The support amounts are intended for the purchase of farms, the preparation and operation of land development and more.
The average age of farmers in Israel is 65 currently, according to the ministry. ■
