How Scarcity Turned Israel into a World Leader in Agri-Tech and Water Innovation
Israel became a leader in agricultural technology and water management because limited rainfall and scarce freshwater forced it to produce more with fewer resources. The state placed water under public control through the 1959 Water Law, while the National Water Carrier began moving water from the Sea of Galilee towards the south in 1964. Drip irrigation, commercialised in the 1960s, helped farmers use water more precisely. Israel later expanded wastewater recycling and seawater desalination, reducing agriculture’s dependence on freshwater. By 2022, it reused about 87 percent of its wastewater, mainly for farming, according to the OECD. Its agricultural research institutions and private companies developed technologies for irrigation, crop management and livestock production. Israel now shares this experience internationally, especially with India. By June 2026, the Indo-Israel agricultural programme had established 35 Centres of Excellence across 12 Indian states, adapting Israeli technology to local farming conditions.
