Israel’s Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Ilan Fluss, recently visited the National Dairy Authority (NDA), engaging in a productive discussion with NDA Administrator, Atty. Marcus Antonius T. Andaya. The discussions centered on leveraging Israel’s renowned dairy expertise and technology to advance the modernization of the Philippines’ dairy industry.
Ambassador Fluss emphasized that technology and data-driven practices have been pivotal in maximizing productivity even under extreme environmental conditions. Israel, despite its arid desert and subtropical climate, has developed one of the world’s most advanced dairy systems in the world, with high milk production and efficiency. It has about 120,000 cows that produce close to 1.5 billion liters per year. The annual milk yield per cow is the highest in the world and stood at more than 12,000 liters in 2021.
Ambassador Fluss outlined the potential of adopting tailored technologies to enhance Philippine dairy productivity, emphasizing areas such as precision farming, genetic improvements, and efficient resource management.
“Our countries share climatic similarities, yet Israel has demonstrated how strategic investments and technological innovations can overcome environmental hurdles,” Atty. Andaya remarked.
Attorney Andaya outlined his five-point agenda to Ambassador Fluss, focusing on increasing herd size, boosting milk yield, minimizing farming risks, enhancing market demand, and raising public awareness of the dairy industry.
The meeting also delved into other strategic initiatives, such as knowledge exchange programs, capacity-building workshops, and investment opportunities in agricultural technology. Atty. Andaya expressed optimism, stating, “Ambassador Fluss’s insights open new possibilities for our dairy sector. As we push toward milk sufficiency and enhanced national dairy production, Israel’s expertise serves as a valuable guide.”
Accompanying Ambassador Fluss were Ms. Ofek Venecianer, Economic Counselor and Head of Israel’s Economic Mission to the Philippines; Ms. Cara De Leoz, Economic Officer; and Mr. Darwin Ng, Commercial Officer from Israel’s Economic Mission to the Philippines.
Their presence underscored the strong economic ties between Israel and the Philippines and the mutual commitment to fostering innovation in agriculture and dairy production.
The NDA, steadfast in its vision, is eager to learn from global leaders and implement strategic partnerships to uplift the local dairy industry.
The current milk sufficiency stands at 1.5% but the NDA aims to increase this to 5% or 80 million liters of milk by 2028. ### (By Ian Caro Agbayani, DA-National Dairy Administration)
