The Arava International Center for Agriculture Training (AICAT) was established in Sapir, in 1994 with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture.
The center trains over 1,000 students annually from Academic Institutes in two different programs:
The Center’s program is based on the principle of Learning by Doing. The winning combination of practical training on an advanced and modern farm, theoretical studies, professional guided tours of the area and community life provides the students a unique and rich experience.
AICAT has a close cooperation with the neighbour Regional Councils of Eilot and Tamar.
The Center cooperates closely with The Yair Research and Development Center. The Center is a leading scientific research and development center established in 1986, with the aim of advancing sustainable methods of cultivation in the arid region, raising the product quality, finding new crops and opening new markets. This unique Center combines practical research in the fields of sustainable agriculture, water management and aquaculture – providing critical knowledge to the regional farming community as well as to other countries around the world.
Throughout the duration of his studies in Israel, each student visits this center a few times in accordance with the different subjects. Some researchers at the Yair Center also lecture at AICAT.