Israel shines at World Water Week in Stockholm 2013
Israeli Missions Around The World MFA Innovative Israel Israel shines at World Water Week in Stockholm 2013

Israel shines at World Water Week in Stockholm

  • 9/10/2013
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    The Israeli company Netafim was awarded the Stockholm Industry Water Award for 2013, in recognition of the company's contribution to sustainable water management.
    Ashkelon high school students place second in the Stockholm Junior Water Prize.
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    Israel Ambassador Isaac Bachman with the two young Israeli contestants Israel Ambassador Isaac Bachman with the two young Israeli contestants Copyright: Embassy of Israel, Stockholm
    Israel Ambassador Isaac Bachman with the two young Israeli contestants (Photo: Israel Embassy, Stockholm)
     
    (Israel Embassy, Stockholm)

    During World Water Week held last week (September 1-6) in Stockholm, a wide range of water-related issues were discussed: geo-political aspects, the management of water resources, irrigation technologies, domestic and agricultural water supply, the treatment of waste water, and more. Three awards are given: one to a leading research project, the second to a leading industry, and the third to the winner of an international youth competition on innovation in the field of water.

    Netafim CEO Igal Aisenberg with Ambassador Isaac Bachman
    Netafim CEO Igal Aisenberg with Ambassador Isaac Bachman
    (Photo: Israel Embassy Stockholm)
    The Israeli company Netafim was awarded the Stockholm Industry Water Award for 2013, in recognition of the company's contribution to sustainable water management

    Netafim is the global leader in drip and micro-irrigation solutions, that is, technology that saves water. The company was founded in Israel in 1965 and today provides equipment and services in over 110 countries around the world, enabling farmers to produce more with less water.

    Netafim has designed a specific solution for small farmers in developing countries. Drip System™, a drip irrigation system, eliminates the need for labor intensive bucket irrigation, while saving water. In Niger, for example, the application of drip irrigation system has helped farmers to more than triple its production of selected fruits and vegetables. In India, Netafim irrigation systems and training in sustainable food helped over 40,000 small-scale farmers to reduce waste on their farms, and to increase their income by 20 percent over three years. Netafim also conducts regular seminars at locations around the world to educate farmers in water-saving technologies.

    "Globally, 70 percent of our fresh water is used for irrigation and with the rapidly growing demand for agricultural products, there is an urgent need to improve water productivity. Netafim has shown remarkable progress and helped farmers around the world to 'grow more with less'. Netafim contributes directly and concretely to more water - and a better world," said the jury of the Stockholm Industry Water Award in its citation.

     


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  • The young generation also shines

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    The Stockholm Junior Water Prize is a competition that brings together some of the world's most promising young scientists to encourage them to continue their research on water and the environment. Each year, thousands of young people in national competitions around the world for the opportunity to represent their country in the finals held in conjunction with World Water Week in Stockholm.

    The Israeli duo of Yeari Vigder and Noam Arye Nassi were awarded second place in the competition. The two high school students from Ashkelon won the national contest in Israel with their project "Evergreen: Smart irrigation in the palm of your hand." The project is a cheap and easy way of using a remote sensory system to make life a little easier for farm workers in developing countries - and to help them save water. Sensors mounted on a mobile platform allow the smartphone application to take pictures and calculate the field's water index, identifying which areas need more or less water. Yeari and Noam constructed a working prototype which has been successfully tested on real fields.