Voices from the DDD conference 2025

Dorit Korine, the conference manager who has been steering the Drylands, Deserts and Desertification (DDD) Conference since its second run, shares the history and unique ethos of the event. She explains how the conference started as a one-time success and quickly became a tradition, emphasizing that its value lies in its deeply multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary structure—forcing water resear...

Dr. Neta Tsur, a scientist with a diverse background in physics, environmental sciences, and ecology, shares her unique perspective on finding solutions to the climate crisis. She argues that creative problem-solving requires looking at environmental challenges from all resolutions —from the deep physics of plant processes to macroscopic field measurements—to find solutions that are not obvious. N...

Dr. Yahel Kurlander, a specialist in agricultural labor migration, connects her field to the climate crisis, explaining how workers—particularly Thai migrants—are highly vulnerable to the escalating severe heat in agriculture and often lack the ability to refuse unsafe working conditions. She shares the emotional context of her work, including her efforts following the October 7th attacks to house...

Moses Banda Aron interviews Victor Kanyema , former Program Manager for Partners in Health in Malawi, about his first visit to Israel for the DDD Conference. Victor shares his surprise at finding Israel "calm" compared to its media portrayal and reflects on the spiritual significance of visiting the Holy Land. The two discuss the universal challenge of climate change, which impacts every...

Public health professional Moses Banda Aron (Moshe) from Malawi joins the podcast to discuss his work tackling a severe and often neglected disease : snake bites. He explains that people in the global South who work in rural and agricultural areas which change as climate changes, are highly exposed to this risk. Aron shares his personal journey from mathematics to public health, and details his cu...

Professor Nadav Davidovitch , a public health physician and epidemiologist, joins the podcast to celebrate the 18th anniversary of the dedicated Health Sessions at the DDD Conference, noting the high quality of international and local participation. He reviews sessions on climate change preparedness and infectious disease, and previews a "Food, Health, and Resilience" tour focused on add...

Nuria Levy, Course Director at Mashav , Israel's agency for international development, discusses the crucial link between climate, business, and gender. She explains how their course on empowering women through innovative agribusiness brings international professionals from emerging economies like Ghana, Cambodia, and Ukraine to the DDD Conference, underscoring the severe economic impact of drylan...

Merav Battat, Director of the Negev Urban Research Lab (NUR) , discusses the unique challenge of desert urbanism and mitigating extreme heat in cities like Beersheba. She reveals how the lab is using 3D scanning and digital twinning to create urban platforms that test scenarios—like turning a boulevard into a forest—to help decision-makers design more resilient streets and improve human comfort. T...

Italian agronomist and wine consultant Mauro Schippa explains how the climate crisis is affecting vineyards globally, revealing that rising temperatures are turning wine into "syrup," destroying acidity, and ruining the aromatic balance. He discusses the specific vulnerability of varieties like Chardonnay and details how wine growers must adapt through precise water and nutrition managem...

With nearly 50 years in water research, Professor Jack Gilron of the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research warns that the climate crisis is creating "major, major stress" that must be addressed through both global prevention (ending fossil fuel use) and rapid adaptation. As a specialist in desalination and water treatment, he discusses how science can help societies prepare for increas...

BGU PhD student David Samson Isaka shares his powerful personal experience of the climate crisis, explaining how he has witnessed his community's water sources and native plant species vanish, forcing families to walk kilometers to fetch water . He discusses how this reality drives his research in plant physiology, where he studies how crops like sweet potatoes can develop a natural stress toleran...

Henry Rajuro speaks with keynote speaker Dr. Henry Emmanuel Ndindi about his rich career in health systems and the interconnected nature of global crises. Dr. Ndindi argues that a failure in one system, like access to clean water, inevitably cascades into others, such as health, and connects these systemic breakdowns to the larger climate crisis. This crucial conversation highlights why we cannot...

Ecologist Dr. Elli Gruner joins Professor Simon Baruch to reveal a shocking consequence of climate change in the Negev: the 100% collapse of an entire shrub ecosystem due to recurring consecutive droughts. Dr. Gruner critiques global climate models for ignoring the hyper-arid desert—which is 40% of the Earth's landmass—and explains how increasing extreme events are pushing arid regions toward bare...

Professor Simon Barak sits down with PhD student Henry Rajuro to connect the climate crisis to the visionary spirit of Zionism and nation-building. Henry, originally from Kenya, gives a powerful case for global interdependence, illustrating the cascading effects of drought and sharing his own experience with the terrifying, increasing frequency of Lake Victoria's rising water levels. Tune in to he...

Former Minister of Environment Protection Tamar Zandberg starts her episode by reflecting on the desert’s dramatic beauty and the clear signs of climate change she witnessed on an early morning walk. Now leading BGU's Climate Policy Institute, she discusses why the crisis demands a global moral shift in perception and reveals how regional cooperation—from the Abraham Accords to saving the Dead Sea...

Over 1,000 attendees from 39 countries gathered in the desert to confront the urgent crisis of desertification and climate change. Conference Chair Prof. Shimon Rachmilevitch reveals a shocking 20% spike in CO2 during his career, yet remains optimistic, arguing that just like small sand particles build a beach, this generation has the power to make the real, positive change required. Tune in for c...

Welcome to the heart of the Drylands, Deserts and Desertification Conference! We set up our radio station right in the thick of it—the campus roundabout —to intercept over 1,000 brilliant people (researchers, policymakers, and dreamers) who came to tackle life on the edge. Tune in to capture the energy, the human stories, and the good vibes as the desert speaks, and sometimes argues. Listen to our...