Drip irrigation (טִפְטוּף) was invented in Israel, by Simcha Blass, who in 1959 noticed a tree thriving next to a leaky pipe. He partnered with Kibbutz Hatzerim to found Netafim in 1965, now a global giant. Drip irrigation uses 50-70% less water than flood irrigation while increasing yields. It\'s the foundation of Israel\'s desert agriculture and one of the country\'s greatest agricultural exports.
Cultural note, When Israelis tell the Netafim story, it\'s with national pride: a small kibbutz in the desert, a clever engineer, a problem solved that changed world agriculture. Knowing the story and vocabulary signals you\'re engaged with the country\'s technical history. Netafim, Naan-Dan-Jain, and Plastro are the major Israeli drip irrigation companies, global market shares ~50%+.
Drip Irrigation Basics
System Components
Netafim & The Companies
Fertigation
Field & Greenhouse Setup
The Story of Drip Irrigation (Simcha Blass)
The origin story of drip irrigation, in Hebrew. The kind of paragraph you\'d hear at a Negev R&D station tour.