AgBlog

For many years I used to wear a different hat at Netafim. As the company’s Commercial Director for over a decade, I circled the world more than once. I climbed the Andes, learned many Spanish dialects, drank countless cups of dark coffee on every corner of the planet, and although I was there, representing the commercial side of the business, selling Netafim’s products and solutions, I could clearly see, wherever I went, that these precision irrigation solutions were transforming people's lives. This is why, when I was appointed Director of Sustainability a year ago, I saw it as a huge opportunity to leverage what we’ve accomplished so far in sustainable agriculture to achieve a global impact. So here’s the new and improved Natan, wearing a Panama hat made from sustainably-harvested toquilla straw.

Six years ago, smallholder farming in the state of Karnataka was hardly a viable operation. Rainfall played a significant role in whether they succeeded in growing anything or nothing, whether they made a living or struggled. With no access to irrigation, farmers were confined to growing only one crop cycle, and couldn't risk diversifying to increase their profits. Add to this their limited access to capital, technology and markets and it's no wonder the livelihood of these farming families was so vulnerable. Over 56% of the Karnataka State population depends on agriculture for their livelihood. This figure is even higher at the national level. 60% of India’s population lives off farming and 83% of all farmers are smallholders, farmers who cultivate less than 2 hectares of land. These smallholder farmers are the backbone of agricultural growth; they contribute over 40% of India's grain production, and over half of its fruits, vegetables, oilseed, and other crops.

"The grass is always greener” some say. Not for me. I live in Brazil and I love everything about it; its food, beaches, weather, people and its diverse nature, especially the Amazon rainforest. Spreading over two million miles of land, the Brazilian rainforest is the most biodiverse ecosystem on the planet; home to an incredible diversity of birds, plants and animals. But the Amazon rainforest is way more than just a wildlife haven. Many call it “the lungs of the planet” for its role in absorbing greenhouse gases, stabilizing the climate, providing medicine and food, and supporting the livelihoods of over 1.2 billion people around the world.

Here’s what happens when interests collide: The Everglades, 1.5 million acres of wetland in the south of Florida is a mosaic of habitats, a home to diverse species of wildlife and plant life. This rich ecosystem has been under threat since the 1800s. Ever-increasing population growth along with industry and agriculture in the south of Florida has resulted in large metropolitan areas and the consequential rising pressure on the surrounding natural environment. The need for better water management and flood control lead to the construction of canals and levees and the subsequent draining and development of the land. With advances in modern agriculture, the use of synthetic fertilizers has become more prevalent. Runoff from fields into these ditches and canals led to phosphorus enrichment of the soil to such a degree that the ecosystem was compromised drastically, resulting in the loss of native trees and habitats. The “Everglades Forever Act”, passed by the State of Florida in 1992 recognized that the “Everglades ecological system is endangered as a result of adverse changes in water quality, and in the quantity, distribution and timing of flows, and, therefore, must be restored and protected.” Twenty-five years later - the total federal investment in the restoration of the Everglades is estimated to have exceeded $5 billion.

What’s the connection between precision irrigation technology and one of Israel’s most ambitious nature restoration projects? As a member of the Netafim family for over 15 years I witnessed time and again how identifying a need and dreaming up a solution has led us to develop innovative products and technologies that have made a huge impact on the agriculture industry. But sometimes reality tops anything you can imagine, and out-of the-box thinking takes on a whole new dimension. On December 4, 2014 Israel experienced one of the worst environmental disasters in the country’s history, five million cubic meters of crude oil polluted an area of 15 hectares in the Evrona nature reserve. Oil streams flowed for 7 km from the leak site and formed oil lakes which created a layer of crude oil beneath the surface preventing water from penetrating the soil endangering life in this beautiful and fragile natural ecosystem.

Quarantined at home for almost two months, my family and I have found comfort in fresh produce and foods more than ever now. I have found myself experimenting in the kitchen with varieties of sizzling salads, and mountains of red ripe tomatoes with our national comfort food, pasta. Homemade pesto sauce, grilled veggies and fresh orange juice are almost always on our family table. All these help to take the stress and pressure away and bring the sunshine of the field to our small apartment.

For my fellow agronomists and myself, not too long ago, a field visit was everything: the beginning, the middle, and the end of every recommendation delivered to the farmer. If you wanted to give any advice you hopped into the car, train or a plane arrived at the farm, looked at the crop, felt the soil, asked questions, looked at the irrigation controller outputs, took samples, and wrote recommendations.

The whole world has come together to fight the challenging threat called COVID-19; but at the same time, there is also a growing concern rippling through the world regarding the current and future availability of food. When countries sealed their borders, the transportation of goods, including food, became a tremendous challenge.

“Food Supply chain is a complex web of interactions and of actors: producers, inputs, transportation, processing plants, shipping, etc. As the virus spreads and cases mount, and block downs increase, there are seemingly countless ways the food system will be tested and strained in the coming weeks and months”

Turkey has 28 million hectares of arable land, of which only 33% has access to water for irrigation. Agriculture is heavily dependent on irrigation and consumes about two thirds of available water resources. Uneven distribution of water resources, fragmented land, adverse climate conditions, sub-optimal irrigation and agricultural practices further add to the challenge. The introduction of efficient irrigation technologies for increasing agricultural productivity remains a priority for Turkey.

With inputs from Ramdas Battalwar, Business Head CI, Netafim India.

During the recent 2019 harvest, Netafim set out to investigate the use of current harvesting machinery in orchards with multiple on-ground driplines. The results are promising and indicate that machinery and driplines may be compatible after all.