I visited Israel last year and was amazed to find the alround growth of Israel. The development of Negev Desert is spectacular. They pump water (Brackish & Saltish) from a depth of 300 meters and convert into fresh water through desalination and grow vegetables, algae, citrus fruits, musk melon etc The dream of Israel's founders was, in the 1949 words of first Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, to make the desert bloom. That never quite happened here in the Negev, a vast, arid plateau that makes up 60% of Israeli territory but is home to only 7% of its population. Today, the worst drought in 60 years is again forcing Israel to reexamine use of already scarce water. Instead of creating a desert in bloom, Israeli scientists and farmers are turning to alternative agriculture that makes use of underground brackish water and pursues limited but lucrative boutique markets over mass commerce. And so they grow shrimp, algae and edible cactus instead of traditional crops like water-intensive citrus and cotton. The exotic products remain a fraction of Israel's agricultural output, but they are seen as key to the desert's prosperity. Almost every house has solar water heater.
