Australian Water Management Review Vol. 1 2014 | Page 84

An irrigAtion revolution
Simcha Blass, an Israeli water engineer, discovered
the essence of drip irrigation virtually by chance.
The idea came to Mr Blass when passing a
residence one day in the 1930s, he noticed that one
tree was much taller than the others growing along
the fence line. Seeking the reason for its remarkable
growth, he saw water dripping from a leaking
connection of a nearby water pipe.
With this simple observation of the principle that a slow
and balanced drip effect led to remarkable plant growth,
he created a device that changed the course of irrigation
forever – a drip-based tube that slowly released water
where it was most effective. Recognising the potential of
his discovery, he began searching for ways to transform
this idea into a reality. As a result, Netafim’s initial
production facility – the first of its kind worldwide – was
formed in 1965.
As Netafim’s drip irrigation solutions rapidly spread
worldwide, one innovative product followed another.
Each decade brought with it new developments that
addressed the changing requirements and demand across
the globe. With growing concern for depleting resources

and an increasing understanding of the environmental
challenges, Netafim remained committed to offering
smart drip and micro-irrigation solutions. Once the
feasibility of the method was proven, Netafim developed
the next generation of sophisticated drippers that adapt
to the variations of inlet pressure, clean themselves
automatically and maintain uniform flow rates regardless
of water quality and pressure.
Sustainability is what underscores Netafim’s past, present
and future. The company and products were born out of a
true necessity and basic understanding of the importance
of using our resources wisely. The opportunity for
productivity and profitability improvements continues to
drive uptake of drip irrigation technologies.

The first step in drip irrigation –
Netafim 1965

a Netafim drip irrigated field today

Adoption of low flow and low energy systems, together with
improved fertigation management and Crop Management
Technologies (CMT), irrigators are achieving very attractive
ROI by truly growing more with less.
With continual innovation Netafim can assist in meeting
tomorrow’s challenges by providing the necessary tools
to increase productivity, while minimising operational and
input costs.

SMART SOLUTIONS
SOLID GROWTH

www.netafim.com.au
03 8331 6500 |
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