If you don’t go to the desert, the desert may soon come to you. Each year, the equivalent of tens of thousands of football fields of fertile soil turn to dust due to soil degradation. Many other areas of the world’s landmass are experiencing desert-like symptoms such as sandstorms and extreme heat.

This fascinating podcast discusses issues such as:

• Why is it important that Israel more fully develop the Negev? How is Israel more fully developing the Negev?
• How can problems with deserts lead to problems elsewhere?
• What technologies are Israeli companies offering with respect to extreme climates? Water scarcity? Land degradation? Remote living?
• How portable is the technology that is being developed in the Negev to other deserts?
• What is being done to introduce Israeli Desertech to other parts of the world?
• Can Israeli DeserTech companies access funding offered by international or European development funding sources?

Among the intriguing companies mentioned during this podcast are Asterra, Salicrop, Solcold, Dots, and Soled.

Nicole Hod Stroh is the Executive Director at Merage Foundation. A native of Colombia, Nicole’s career includes high-level positions in international development, non-profit management and venture philanthropy spanning the United States, Latin America and Israel.