President of the State Isaac Herzog visited the "Netafim" site at Kibbutz Hatzerim, marking 60 years since the company was founded at the kibbutz. "Netafim," which developed the drip irrigation method, has since become the largest irrigation company in the world and a global leader in precision agriculture. During the visit, Herzog met with Netafim’s management and employees and toured the production lines at the company’s first and largest factory.
One of the highlights of the visit was when Netafim’s President and CEO, Gaby Miodownik, presented the president with the first dripper developed by the company about 60 years ago – one of the few remaining in the company’s possession – as a symbol of Israeli innovation. In addition, Miodownik presented the president with a historic photo of his father, the sixth president, the late Chaim Herzog, from a tour he conducted at the Netafim booth at the Agritech exhibition in 1986.
Herzog spoke with Netafim’s employees, from the company’s various sites and across a wide range of positions, as part of the “Exchanging a Word” initiative aimed at bringing hearts closer within Israeli society. According to Netafim, the company was among the first in the business sector to join the initiative, and it “sees it as an opportunity to strengthen a unifying discourse in Israeli society. Netafim’s employees represent the human mosaic of Israeli society – Jews and Arabs, ultra-Orthodox and secular, new immigrants and veterans, young and old. The company views occupational diversity as both a business and social value, and acts out of genuine commitment to promoting a diverse, equal, and inclusive work environment.”
President Herzog congratulated Netafim, saying: “This is a company that continues to flourish and grow for the sake of all humanity. Over these decades, Netafim has been a symbol of Israeli excellence – a wonderful combination of innovation, entrepreneurship, and values. You are leading global agriculture, promoting sustainability and food security, and at the same time serving as a true source of resilience for Israeli society as a workplace that empowers and develops. Without your technologies, many people in the world would not enjoy a basic standard of living – they would not eat, not drink, and would not receive what they deserve as human beings. This is a huge message to the world about Israel’s ability to contribute to humanity. You have a wonderful name, an international reputation, and I wish you great success.”
Netafim’s President and CEO Miodownik said that the company is “excited to host the president here in Hatzerim – the place where Netafim was born 60 years ago. We thank the president for the recognition and support. For Netafim’s employees, this is a moment of true Israeli pride. In an era of climate challenges and shortages of water and food, Netafim’s solutions are more important than ever – and we are committed to continuing to develop them for the benefit of farmers and communities in Israel and around the world.”