Micro-irrigation tech start-up wins top award
AGRICULTURE start-up NDrip has won the Financial Times/International Finance Corporation award for Transformational Businesses 2019 in London.
More than 250 candidates from 246 different countries entered the prestigious competition and N-Drip was one of the 35 which were short-listed.
The agriculture start-up, which operates its Australian branch out of Cairns, specialises in a micro-irrigation system to use no external energy source, pumps or filters, instead relying on gravity alone to channel water to wherever it is needed.
N-Drip Australia general manager Udi David Stern said the goal was to provide waterefficient irrigation that wouldn’t break the bank for growers.
“We’re very proud and very excited about the award; we had a vision to change the world of irrigation and this was one of the first steps,” he said.
Mr David Stern said by omitting pumps and filters, the N-drip dripper could save a minimum of $10,000 per hectare in irrigation costs.
“Everybody wants to use drip irrigation because they’re the most efficient ways to give water to plants, but the high cost makes it less financially feasible,” he said.
“The main difference is the fact that you irrigate in small amounts more frequently, meaning you get a better balance of air and water in the soil.
“By saving on water and chemicals, you get more yield and less nitrogen going into the Reef.
“As an example, a producer using the system in Cecil Plains near Toowoomba managed to save 46 per cent of water compared to what he normally used, meaning he could plant more with the same allocation. “
Mr David Stern said the award win would boost the company profile as it aimed to expand further nationally and abroad.
“N-Drip is already in Israel, Africa and the US as well as Australia, and we’re hoping it will grow further,” he said.
“We have seven installations already in Australia, (and) have another one coming next week.
“In the Far North, we have four, and we’ll have another two in the next few weeks.”