Farmers worldwide saved half a trillion liters (132 billion gallons) of water in 2024 using technology from the Israeli ag-tech company Phytech, a leader in digital agriculture solutions that optimizes the entire agricultural production value chain. The water savings recorded by the company are 20% greater than industry standards and are equivalent to the annual water consumption of more than 3.1 million U.S. households. Water conservation is one of the key findings in Phytech’s 2024 annual sustainability report, which highlights trends in environmental resilience, resource efficiency, and crop optimization.
Phytech has developed a proprietary platform that optimizes the agricultural production value chain using advanced sensors installed in crops and fields. The platform provides data-driven agronomic insights and recommendations, which are automatically implemented in the field.
These innovations helped prevent 7.9 million days of potential crop distress, resulting in increased yields and a 94% reduction in water stress. The environmental impact is equivalent to the annual carbon dioxide absorption of a forest spanning 1.06 million dunams (261,131 acres), marking a significant ecological milestone.
Phytech’s platform currently spans 1.6 million dunams (402,426 acres), monitoring 43 million trees across 18,000 farms worldwide—figures that illustrate the scale and reliability of its use. Phytech’s approach emphasizes accessible technology, ensuring that farms of all sizes can benefit, thereby contributing to a more equitable and sustainable agriculture sector.
Phytech’s 2024 sustainability report reveals significant developments in water conservation, carbon emissions reduction, and energy efficiency, showcasing the company’s contribution to transforming agriculture and addressing global environmental challenges.
Water savings through Phytech in 2024 were 20% higher than the industry standard. The company reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 112,221 tons, mitigating an environmental impact equivalent to the consumption of 48 million liters (12.6 million gallons) of fuel.
The platform has empowered farmers worldwide to optimize resources, reduce waste, and efficiently address escalating challenges arising from climate change. By leveraging real-time insights generated by the system, farmers can achieve healthier crops while significantly reducing their environmental footprint.
Sarig Duek, Chairman of Phytech: "Farmers worldwide are facing the challenge of supplying food to a growing population while dealing with resource shortages, regulations, and the demand for environmentally friendly production. Our mission is to provide farmers with actionable insights that ensure higher yields while optimizing processes and preserving the environment. The annual sustainability report reflects how our customers use data to lead agriculture’s digital transformation."
Ryan Maguire, Manager of Peacock Nuts Company, Arizona: "Phytech helped us save over 1.2 billion liters of water and tackle water shortages in Arizona. Phytech is by far the best system we’ve ever used, significantly outperforming other systems. It truly eliminates the stress and guesswork that are typical in agriculture."
Phytech’s technology also addresses energy efficiency by enabling smarter irrigation practices. According to the report, 90% of irrigation operations in 2024 were conducted during off-peak electricity hours, reducing strain on power grids and lowering costs for farmers.
Phytech, which employs about 200 people, half of them in Kfar Saba, has developed a mobile-friendly platform that integrates predictive algorithms and data analytics tools within agricultural plots. A sensor attached to each tree in an orchard or a plant stem in field crops continuously monitors the plant’s "thirst" for water and fertilizer, combining this data with supporting environmental information. This allows the platform to provide precise real-time irrigation and fertilization recommendations. IoT devices offer end-to-end visibility of water tanks, pumps, filters, and valves, enabling real-time problem detection, predictive maintenance, and swift response to any issue. Without these "eyes" in the fields, farmers must rely on manual checks of these critical functions, often discovering issues only after they have already caused damage.