Innovation in Irrigation Award
The Innovation In Irrigation Award celebrates, encourages and promotes innovation, alongside the positive initiatives being undertaken in our communities with, and as a result of, irrigation. For example it could be a technical innovation - farm, orchard, vineyard, or scheme innovations that have helped with the business of irrigated food production. Irrigation enhancing the environment - projects and research that have led to environmental improvements, or something that supports resilient communities including projects and research that have led to improved community outcomes. This award is presented biennially.
In 2022 the winner was H2Ortigator.
H2Ortigator is a novel irrigation unit, designed and manufactured in New Zealand. H2Ortigator provides the solution for fast establishment and early development of replacement trees and vines in commercial orchards and vineyards. Trees and vines with H2Ortigator units produce robust, healthy plants faster than currently possible in a replacement scenario. As a result, the replacement plants will commercially produce and return earlier
See above after receiving their award at the 2022 IrrigationNZ Awards Evening: James Gardner (National Farm Sustainability Manager Ballance Agri Nutrients), Brendan Hamilton (H2Ortigator) Keri Johnston (IrrigationNZ Chair), Hayley Hamilton,( H2Ortigator).
Eligibility
The prize can be awarded to an individual or team but only one entry is permitted per person or team. We encourage entries and nominations from irrigators, schemes, user groups, environmental groups, industry, and university students. The innovation may be new, or a reinvention or reapplication of an old technology it must demonstrate a clear, recent, or potential impact to irrigation in New Zealand. The individual or nominated team representative must be either a New Zealand citizen or a New Zealand permanent resident. For team entries one person must be nominated as the team representative - this person will be the public face for the innovation. The winning entrant will be expected to attend the Irrigation New Zealand Awards Dinner to receive the award and speak with media. The innovation must meet current New Zealand ethical practice and have been carried out largely in New Zealand
Previous Winners
2022 WINNER - H2ORTIGATOR