60 Years of Helping Make Every Drop Count
On World Water Month, water security feels more urgent than ever. For farmers, water is never just a resource. It is the difference between uncertainty and stability, between a difficult season and a successful one. It shapes what is possible in the field—and far beyond it.
This year’s World Water Day is especially meaningful for Netafim, as we mark 60 years since our founding. Our story began with farmers facing water scarcity and choosing to act. They understood that every drop mattered—and that managing water with greater precision could fundamentally change what was possible.
Over the past six decades, our role has remained clear: helping growers use water more efficiently and achieve better yields with fewer resources. Through precision irrigation, agronomic expertise, and close collaboration with farmers, we work to turn uncertainty into greater clarity, control, and resilience.
Achieving global water security is complex—and it cannot be achieved alone. From my perspective, real progress happens when farmers, businesses, governments, and communities work together with a shared commitment.
I’ve seen this come to life in different ways around the world:
In Rwanda, the Gabiro Agribusiness Hub demonstrates how public–private partnerships can build the infrastructure, skills, and long-term conditions for agricultural growth at scale. Developed in partnership with the Government of Rwanda, the project supports year-round production, attracts investment, and creates meaningful economic value for local communities.
In India, community irrigation projects such as Ramthal, Tarikere, and Singatalur show what this commitment means at the smallholder level. By combining precision irrigation with agronomic support and digital tools, they improve access to water, increase yields, and reduce dependence on unpredictable rainfall—helping farmers build more stable livelihoods.
Across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, Better Life Farming demonstrates the power of collaboration. Together with partners including Bayer, Yara, and IFC, we are helping farmers access the tools, knowledge, and support they need to improve productivity while using water more efficiently.
In Zimbabwe, our partnership with GreenFuel, a large-scale sugarcane producer, shows how collaboration can strengthen resilience in drought-prone conditions. Since 2017, GreenFuel has implemented Netafim’s subsurface drip irrigation across 5,000 hectares of sugarcane, supported by agronomic expertise and ongoing on-site support. The project helps improve water efficiency while reducing erosion, runoff, and weed growth.
In Uzbekistan, our work with official cotton clusters shows how partnership can help modernize large-scale farming through precision irrigation. Combining drip irrigation, agronomic support, digital tools, and ongoing training, the project has helped improve yields and fiber quality while advancing more sustainable water management across commercial cotton operations.
And in our collaboration with Amazon India, we see how cross-industry partnerships can connect agriculture, climate action, and community resilience. Supporting the transition to drip irrigation across 120 hectares, the project is expected to save approximately 325 million liters of water annually while improving outcomes for more than 110 farmers.
Across all of these examples, the principle remains the same: when we bring precision, knowledge, partnership, and long-term commitment into agriculture, we strengthen farmers’ resilience. And when farmers are more resilient, food systems are stronger too.
After 60 years, one thing remains clear: every drop still counts. And together, we can make every drop go further.