Conference Program

Hours	Event	Speaker
8:00	Gathering & Registration
9:00	Greetings and Opening Remarks	• David Zigdon, CEO of MIGAL • Zeev Elkin, Minister in the Ministry of Finance, responsible for the Tkuma Directorate and the Northern Rehabilitation Directorate • Gila Gamliel, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology • Beni Ben Muvchar, Chairman of the Eastern Galilee Cluster • Michal Levy, Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security • KKL-JNF representative • Eliezer Shalev, President of Tel-Hai College • Tali Tzur, Director of JNF USA
9:30	Back to nature: The Israeli Center for Biodiversity	Professor Sariel Hübner MIGAL, Tel-Hai College
9:50	Regional Growth Engines: Shaping the Future of Israel’s North	Moderator: Ofer Rivlin, CEO of Israel’s Agrifood-tech Valley • Nitzan Karsenty, Director of the Innovation and Growth Administration, Ministry of Economy and Industry • Noam Josef, CEO of GAIA Partners accelerator • Noga Sela Shalev, CEO of Fresh Start incubator • Yarden Erlich, Kiryat Shmona municipality • Michael Gordon, CEO of Blue Tree technologies • Atar Razy-Oren, CEO at Beyachad - Stella and Yoel Carasso Family Foundation • Yiftach Shay, CEO of RegionUP, Eastern Galilee Regional Cluster
10:35	Introducing the Galilee Culinary Institute	Tali Tzur, Director of JNF USA
10:45	Coffee Break	Exhibition and Networking
11:15	Agrivoltaics Session: Updates from the Field	Moderator: Dr. Doron Merkel, Chief Scientist, KKL-JNF • Dr. Omer Crane, Northern R&D • Dr. Liron Amdur, Open Landscape Institute (DESHE), The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University • Noam Jankelowitz, Avocado plantation Manager at Tzabar Kama Ltd • Tanya Pons Alon, Director of the Kasser Joint Institute for Food, Water and Energy Security, JNF-USA
12:15	Panel: Energy Flow to the North	Moderator: Eitan Parnass, CEO, Green Energy Association of Israel • Dorit Hochner, Manager of The Physical Planning Department, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure • Hagai Snir, Director of the Extension Service (Shaham), Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security • Benny Ruggill, Director of Energy, Kibbutz Movement • Ronit Eshel, Head of Climate, Israel Innovation Authority • Avital Ofek, CEO of Doral Energy Israel • Dan Naor, Director of Business Development, Enlight Energy
12:55	Regenerative Agriculture Session: Regenerative Food Systems as a Basis for Food Security in Israel	• Prof. Ido Itzhaki, Deputy Scientific Director, MIGAL • Eric Benmeir Kozakow, Regenerative Agriculture and Agrivoltaics Project Lead, MIGAL • Asaf Tzur, Plantation Manager, Kibbutz Tzora • Galit Kenigsberg, CEO of Nibbana Israel • Alon Maor, Director, Soil Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture Division, Environmental Resources Management Division, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
13:55	Lunch	Exhibition and Networking
14:55	Round Tables: 1. Sponsored by Netafim: Irrigation Technologies and Climate Change 2. Sponsored by Doral: Collaborations in the Agrivoltaic Sector as Growth Drivers 3. Sponsored by Enlight: A Field of Opportunities - AgriPV in Field Crops as Agricultural and Energy Growth Engine 4. AgTech: Advanced Agricultural Technologies 5. Regional Planning Policy 6. Led by SolarEdge: The Importance of Safety in Agrivoltaic Applications: Planning, Operation, and Optimization 7. Multi-Ministerial Collaboration for Regional Development 8. Knowledge Transfer from Research to Practice and the Required Infrastructure (Farms of the Future) 9. The Agricultural Land Unit – How to Measure and Evaluate Benefits and Impact	Roundtable Moderators: 1. Carmel Porat, Agronomist, Netafim 2. Oved Yavin, Agrivoltaic Sector Manager, Doral 3. Omer Zimry, Project Development Manager, Enlight 4. Rafi Nevo, Head of Technology, R&D, and Innovation, Kibbutz Industry Association 5. Ronen Feller, Head of Environmental Unit, Upper Galilee Regional Council 6. Noam Schwartz & Tamir Hirschel, Business Development, SolarEdge 7. Yiftach Shai, RegionUp Manager, Eastern Galilee Cluster 8. Lior Rubinovich, Researcher, Northern R&D 9. Yael Meltzer, Director, RegenIL
16:10	Panel: Blossoms of Regeneration in the Galilee	Moderator: Einav Peretz, Chief of Staff, Tenufa Administration • Asaf Langelvan, Head of the Upper Galilee Regional Council • Avichai Shtern, Mayor of Kiryat Shmona • Barak Ohayon, Entrepreneur and Northern Investor • Lior Simcha, Secretary General of the Kibbutz Movement • Michal Tzoran, Director of the International Activities Division - Business Development and Trade, Kibbutz Industry Association • Tom Lahad, Founder of Habaita Movement
16:50	Closing Remarks	• Oren Lavi, Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security • Ori Ben Herzel, VP of Business Development, MIGAL
17:00	Networking & Light Refreshments	Local beer and Music