Netafim, Farm From A Box collaborate to provide drip irrigation technology

Netafim announced a strategic partnership with Farm From A Box to provide drip irrigation technology for the innovative sustainable micro farming system. Farm From A Box provides rural and remote communities with a single, modular unit that contains all the vital components needed to create and maintain a sustainable 2-acre farm.

“The partnership with Farm From A Box is a natural fit for Netafim as it goes hand-in-hand with the company’s founding principle of developing smart irrigation solutions to fight scarcity of food, water and land,” says Zeev Barylka, Marketing Director for Netafim USA. “Since Netafim first introduced drip irrigation to the world 50 years ago, food security and access to water have become the most pressing issues facing the global community. Both Farm From A Box and Netafim are focused on enhancing agricultural productivity to help the global population overcome these challenges in order to create a more sustainable future.”

Ideal for any application that requires sustained local food production, Farm From A Box utilizes a modified shipping container to deliver a complete off-grid ecosystem of technologies designed to provide struggling communities with the tools they need to grow their own food source without dependence on outside relief. Equipped with everything from renewable power and irrigation, to information and communications technology, each container is a collaborative platform that combines the “best of” technologies into a shared and complete solution for independent communities.

As a project partner, Netafim is leveraging its industry leadership and strong global presence to provide each Farm From A Box application with a complete water-efficient drip irrigation system.

“There is simply no better catalyst for improved agricultural productivity than drip irrigation. Its water-efficient properties and proven ability to significantly boost yields are a tremendous asset to communities in need of maximizing food production capabilities,” added Barylka.

“It is our goal to reduce poverty and hunger by providing vulnerable communities with the tools, technology and mobile infrastructure needed to feed themselves and build strong livelihoods,” said Brandi DeCarli, founding partner of Farm From A Box. “For over five decades, Netafim has been the leader in demonstrating the impact that efficient irrigation technology can have on a struggling community’s ability to create a sustainable food source. It’s a great partnership between two entities with a shared goal of empowering and strengthening communities through education, knowledge and access to modern technologies.”

“Adam,” the first Farm From A Box unit was recently delivered to Santa Rosa Junior College’s Shone Farm in Sonoma County, California, and a second unit, named “Lucy,” is scheduled to be deployed in 2016 at a local women’s cooperative in the Rift Valley, Ethiopia. The unit in Ethiopia will be a fully operational pilot project that will test, measure and collect data points to improve productivity in future deployments.