T
he global population is set to increase by more
than 30 per cent by 2050, making food security one of the biggest global challenges. Drip
irrigation technology can make a real difference, according to Gaby Miodownik, vice president and
head of Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Netafim,
the global leader in smart irrigation solutions for sustainable productivity
Our world faces many challenges and a rapidly growing
population is but one of them. The standard of living
and demand for high-quality food among the growing
middle class, particularly in developing countries, are
also on the rise. The Food and Agriculture Organisation
of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that agricultural
production need to increase by 70 per cent to feed an
additional 2 billion mouths in the next 35 years.
At the same time, there is limited availability of key natural resources such as arable land, energy and especially water, while climate change is making a significant
impact across the globe.
All of these factors are forcing us to come up with new
ways to produce food. Without innovative technologies
that can improve yields while preserving resources,
food scarcity will threaten our world.
A pioneer in drip irrigation since its establishment by
kibbutz farmers in 1965, Netafim was born out of a
need to combat the severe water shortage in Israel.
“Since then,” says Gaby Miodownik, “we have been the
global leader in smart irrigation solutions, helping
farmers worldwide grow more with less.”
Today, the global need to save water in agriculture is
paramount. Some 70 per cent of all freshwater in the
world is used for agriculture, especially for flood irrigation, a highly inefficient method but one that is responsible for 80 per cent of all irrigation. “In contrast, drip
technology leads to water savings of 50 per cent or
more and nutrient savings of 30 per cent,” says Miodownik, “while increasing yields by 200-300 per cent
compared to flood and furrow irrigation. Precisely delivering small drops of water and nutrients in a controlled manner directly to the plant’s root zone, drip
also improves crop quality by giving the plant exactly
what it requires.
“Despite drip’s proven success over the last 50 years,
only 4-5 per cent of all irrigated land is drip irrigated,”
he says. Initially adopted among growers of high-value
“cash” crops, drip is now being used more often for
basic food crops such as corn and sugarcane. “To successfully penetrate drip among the world’s 500 millionplus smallholders, who primarily cultivate basic food
crops, we need to create partnerships among the public
sector, private sector and civil society, and all players
across the agricultural value chain.
“Once such wide-scale cooperation is in place, we are
convinced there will be mass adoption of drip worldwide. And once drip becomes the irrigation system of
choice for farmers of all sizes – from smallholders to
large-scale growers – the technology will make a real
difference in the world.”