Orbia's Precision Agriculture Business Netafim Potato Study Demonstrates Substantial Environmental Benefits of Drip Irrigation 

Life cycle analysis by precision irrigation pioneer proves the environmental benefit of methods for potato growing in the face of climate change with over 50% reduction GWP

Tel Aviv, Israel, July 2, 2024 – Netafim, an Orbia business and a global leader in precision agriculture solutions, announced today the findings of a comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) that demonstrates the significant environmental benefits of using drip irrigation for potato cultivation, particularly in reducing Global Warming Potential (GWP) and water consumption. Adopted by the IPCC for assessing the science of climate change, GWP is a measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere over a specific time period, relative to carbon dioxide. 

Demand for potato products is at an all-time high while growers are increasingly motivated to improve water efficiency and reduce the environmental cost of production.  The LCA study focused on the environmental impacts of drip versus rain gun irrigation systems for both fresh and processed potatoes.  

Conducted in partnership with Potato Solutions and Drip UK, the trial took place in Norfolk, East Anglia, from March to October 2022. The key findings below underscore the efficiency and sustainability of drip irrigation over irrigation by rain gun for potato production.  

• Potatoes grown with drip irrigation exhibit a 54% reduction in GWP for fresh potatoes to those irrigated with rain guns. 

• Drip irrigation for processing potatoes requires 40% less water per ton of potato than rain gun systems, highlighting the technology's ability to conserve one of our most precious resources. 

"In the fight against climate change, drip irrigation technology emerges as a powerful ally, paving the way for a more sustainable agricultural landscape.” Said Max Moldavsky, Director of Innovation and Climate Solutions at Orbia Netafim. He added, “Amidst mounting environmental pressures, farmers and companies are confronted with urgent calls to mitigate their impact, sustainable growing is not just a choice but a necessity to meet these demands and safeguard our planet's future." 

Tim Kitson, of Potato Solutions, highlighted the adaptability and efficiency of drip irrigation, especially in regions facing water scarcity, "Even under ever-changing conditions and the looming threat of water scarcity, drip irrigation has shown remarkable reliability and resilience, ensuring water preservation and effective energy management." 
This study not only reaffirms Orbia Netafim's commitment to sustainable agriculture but also highlights the importance of innovative irrigation solutions in addressing global challenges such as climate change and water scarcity. By leveraging precision irrigation technologies, Orbia Netafim continues to drive forward its mission of growing more with less, benefiting farmers, the environment, and communities worldwid

About Orbia 

Orbia Advance Corporation, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: ORBIA*) is a company driven by a shared purpose: to advance life around the world. Orbia operates in the Polymer Solutions (Vestolit and Alphagary), Building & Infrastructure (Wavin), Precision Agriculture (Netafim), Connectivity Solutions (Dura-Line) and Fluor & Energy Materials (Koura) sectors. The five Orbia business groups have a collective focus on ensuring food and water security, expanding information access and connectivity and advancing decarbonization and the energy transition with basic and advanced materials, specialty products and innovative solutions. Orbia has a global team of over 24,000 employees, commercial activities in more than 100 countries and operations in over 50, with global headquarters in Boston, Mexico City, Amsterdam and Tel Aviv. The company generated $8.2 billion in revenue in 2023. To learn more, visit: orbia.com

About Orbia Precision Agriculture (Netafim) 

Orbia’s Precision Agriculture business Netafim is the world’s largest irrigation company and a global leader in precision agriculture solutions that address food, water and land scarcity for a sustainable future. Founded in 1965, Orbia Netafim pioneered the drip revolution, creating a paradigm shift toward precision irrigation. Today, by specializing in end-to-end solutions from the water source to the root zone, Orbia Netafim delivers irrigation and greenhouse projects as well as landscape and mining irrigation solutions supported by engineering, project management and financing services. Orbia Netafim is also leading the way in digital farming, irrigation and fertigation through integrating real-time monitoring, analysis and automated control into one state-of-the-art system. With 33 subsidiaries, 19 manufacturing plants, 2 recycling plants and more than 4,500 employees worldwide, Orbia Netafim delivers innovative, tailor-made irrigation and fertigation solutions to millions of farmers, allowing smallholders to large-scale agricultural producers and investors in over 100 countries to grow more with less™.   
To learn more, visit: netafim.com.