Pushing the Boundaries of Sustainable Agriculture

Netafim was founded 60 years ago with a clear mission: to grow more food using less water.Born in the Negev desert, Netafim pioneered a revolutionary approach – delivering precise amounts of water and nutrients directly to the roots of each plant. This innovation, known as drip irrigation, dramatically increased yields, improved crop quality, and reduced the need for water and fertilizers. For farmers, it meant greater efficiency and significantly higher returns on investment.

Today, drip irrigation is a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture. It helps conserve vital resources at a time when the climate crisis is already threatening global food systems, supporting long-term food security and powering a more resilient future for farming communities worldwide.

From the start, Netafim's revolutionary drip irrigation technology proved to be a major game-changer for the agricultural industry. The challenges that Netafim faced in the 1960s sparked a mindset of innovation that continues to guide the company's mission to this day.

The pioneering company which originated in a small kibbutz in the south of Israel is now a part of Orbia, a company with over 23,000 employees and commercial activities in more than 100 countries. Orbia is composed of five business groups driven by a shared purpose: to advance quality of life around the world. Netafim is Orbia Precision Agriculture Business, with 33 subsidiaries in five continents, providing advanced knowledge, support and expertise for every type of crop and soil.

"Precision agriculture is more than smart technology; it represents a fundamental shift in how we grow food, how we care for the planet, and how we secure our collective future," says Gaby Miodownik, Orbia EVP and President & CEO of Netafim. "By bringing together technology, data, crop know-how and agronomic expertise into integrated solutions, we aim to help growers improve their yields, while doing so responsibly, conserving water, energy and resources. It's a continuous process of progress, not only supporting agriculture, but transforming it, field by field, farm by farm, around the world."

Trailblazing innovation

From day one, innovation has been part of Netafim's DNA – and not just for its technology. It's a mindset embedded in the way Netafim works and collaborates globally. Innovation is one of the key values of its culture: by encouraging employees to think outside the box and constantly explore new ways to improve their solutions and services, Netafim has remained at the forefront of the AgTech industry for many decades. By investing in R&D and field knowledge, focusing on crop-specific agronomic research, Netafim constantly develops new technologies to help farmers increase yields and improve soil and water health.

Building on the success of its pioneering drip irrigation systems, Netafim recently introduced GrowSphere™ – an all-in-one operating system that manages every aspect of irrigation and fertigation in the field. Farmers around the world report real, tangible benefits since adopting GrowSphere. From reduced water and fertilizer use to time and energy savings, the system empowers them to make faster, data-driven decisions and improve efficiency across their operations. For many, it has become a transformative solution – boosting productivity and maximizing value per hectare.

Designed for farms of all sizes, GrowSphere brings together hydraulic, operational, and agronomic control into one intuitive platform. It connects seamlessly to sensors, controllers, and the cloud, giving farmers full-field control right from their smartphones. By combining powerful algorithms with deep crop insights, GrowSphere helps growers make smarter choices every day – supporting a more productive, resource-efficient, and sustainable way to farm.

An indispensable part of GrowSphere is the Crop Advisor – a smart, real-time irrigation decision-support system that helps farmers make critical decisions about irrigation scheduling by delivering clear, data-driven recommendations tailored to the specific needs of each field. By factoring in crop type, growth stage, soil conditions, and local climate, it provides precise guidance on when and how much to irrigate or fertilize, empowering growers to increase yields, reduce waste, and make the most of every input – water, nutrients, energy, and time.

One of the most recent milestones of Netafim's innovation journey is the introduction of the world's first hybrid driplines – a breakthrough in performance and reliability. Ideal for orchards, vineyards and greenhouses, the hybrid dripline's unique design ensures precise water delivery while preventing clogging and drop migration. The dripline has a built-in welded outlet that can be easily unplugged as needed and arrives pre-installed, making setup quick and hassle-free.

Projects all over the world
Netafim is also well known for carrying out diverse agricultural projects. It has already executed more than 6,000 projects in over 40 countries around the world, developing end-to-end solutions tailored to growers' needs. Netafim's experts help set up new agricultural projects and scale up existing ones, ensuring profitable yields over time.

The company's 100+ irrigation engineers and over 150 local agronomists have installed more than 300,000 km. of dripline worldwide through a variety of projects, including large irrigation projects, community irrigation projects and greenhouse projects.

"Partnership has always been at the heart of everything we do. For six decades, we've walked alongside farmers, from smallholders in remote villages to large-scale producers supporting communities, listening, learning and adapting to their unique, ever-evolving needs. Together, we've fostered trust, resilience and long-term success, even in the face of ever-present challenges," says Miodownik.

In many cases, Netafim has created a significant impact on an entire region by bringing together NGOs, governments and the private sector to give growers a whole new level of control over their future. Netafim helps establish efficient and sustainable irrigation practices, managing natural resources holistically and equipping individual farmers with the necessary infrastructure for sustainable farming. These initiatives often involve establishing training centers and offering on-site agronomic and technical support. Often, installing precision irrigation can change the socio-economic landscape of entire communities, transforming lives and driving long-term prosperity.

One example is the Gabiro Agribusiness Hub in Rwanda. The project entails a unique public-private model and is structured as a joint venture between Netafim and the Rwandan Government, with private funding from local and global investors. The project is transforming the region's agricultural landscape by attracting private sector investment, enhancing food security, creating thousands of new jobs, increasing exports of value-added products, and supporting rural development and livelihoods. The first phase covers 5,600 hectares, with 30% allocated to local communities and the remainder divided into commercial farming blocks. The second phase will expand the project by an additional 10,000 hectares, with strong potential to replicate this scalable model across other regions.

New frontiers
Farmers around the world are increasingly taking advantage of the economic and environmental benefits offered by carbon credits, which measure the reduction or removal of greenhouse gases. Netafim's Carbon Credit Programs simplify the process by delivering efficient and verified carbon credits through drip irrigation projects that not only save water but also minimize emissions and drive long-term sustainability.

Netafim's Carbon Credit Programs offer businesses access to permanent, sustainable, and verified carbon credits by investing in precision agriculture projects that lower greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable farming practices – benefiting businesses, farmers, and the planet alike. Farmers gain access to advanced drip irrigation technology, which enables them to increase yields, reduce costs, and improve profitability, while businesses achieve their sustainability goals with verified, high quality carbon credits. One of the most recent programs was launched in Israel.

Pushing the boundaries of sustainable agriculture, Netafim brings its expertise to the growing field of agrivoltaics (Agri-PV) – an innovative approach that combines crop cultivation with solar energy generation by installing panels above the fields. Implementing Agri-PV successfully requires a structured process to optimize both agricultural productivity and energy output. Netafim is already leading global projects that integrate its advanced irrigation solutions and agronomic expertise to deliver efficient results on both fronts.

Widely recognized as the inventor of drip irrigation, Netafim clearly hasn't rested on its laurels and continues to innovate to help farmers grow more with less. Its advanced solutions empower both large growers and smallholders. Looking ahead, Netafim is committed to a future of productive, resilient, and sustainable agriculture to ensure a more food-secure world for generations to come.

For more information, visit www.netafim.com/en

Partnered with Netafim