Page 33 - Social Science.docx

Irrigation in israel
Innovative use of water in agriculture is a matter of survival in Israel, and for this reason it becomes imperative for them to constantly continue developing new technologies, such as the use of plastic irrigation trays to collect dew and funnel it to the plant. A new Israeli company, called Tal-Ya Water Technologies, which means “God’s dew” in Hebrew, is the result of a research collaboration between the Hebrew University, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Volcani Institute and Ben Gurion University. Inspired by how ancient Israelites used stones to collect dew from the air, the company Tal-Ya designed a reusable square serrated tray, made from a special plastic composite which can sit directly on the ground. The tray is fitted with a hole in the center for a plant to grow. They use non-PET recycled and recyclable plastic with UV filters, and a limestone additive, so they can prevent the tray from degrading in the sun or after the application of pesticides or fertilizers. It only costs $1 and it’s made in larger sizes for trees too. Avraham Tamir, the company head and inventor tells Kloosterman that “An aluminum additive helps the trays respond to shifts in temperature between night and day. When a change of 12 degrees centigrade occurs, dew forms on both surfaces of the Tal Ya tray, which funnels the dew and condensation straight to the plant and its roots.”11 This innovative creation has numerous ecological advantages besides collecting water from air and water savings. For example, adding this water from dew and condensation to the soil, is like utilizing distilled water, which can alleviate the salinity from irrigation. The trays also protect crops from extreme changes in temperature, which can create frosts that put some crops at risk. As Tamir explains, another benefit from the system is that weeds can’t take root because the trays block the sun. Also, farmers need to use a lot less water, and
11 Karin Kloosterman, "ISRAEL: 21st Century Uncovering Israel." Israel21c. 29