The Irrigation Association is excited to announce that Abed Masarwa, Orbia Netafim, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Innovator Award. The IA’s Innovator Award honors individuals who have made significant, tangible contributions to irrigation through innovative work that advances the industry and improves the wise use of water resources.
Abed Masarwa has played a defining role in advancing irrigation technology through his leadership in product development at Orbia Netafim. With a background in mechanical engineering, he has focused his career on turning complex field challenges into practical, high-performing solutions for farmers. As vice president and head of the product management team, Masarwa has led the development of innovations such as Orion PC and the UniRam Hybrid Dripline, technologies that address long-standing challenges in irrigation efficiency, labor and system performance. His work has helped expand access to precision irrigation, bringing pressure-compensated performance to new segments of the market while improving reliability and ease of use in the field.
“The Irrigation Association is honored to recognize Abed Masarwa with the 2026 Innovator Award,” said IA CEO Natasha Rankin. “Through his leadership in product development and his commitment to solving real-world challenges faced by growers, Abed has helped advance irrigation technology in ways that improve efficiency, performance and reliability in the field. His ability to turn field insights into practical, scalable solutions has expanded access to precision irrigation and helped growers get more consistent results to meet the demands of a changing world.”
Beyond product innovation, Masarwa is known for his close connection to the field and commitment to continuous improvement. He works directly with growers, field teams and industry partners to understand on-the-ground needs, using that insight to guide product development and elevate industry standards. Through a combination of technical leadership, collaboration and a clear focus on user needs, Masarwa continues to shape the future of irrigation in meaningful and lasting ways.
“True innovation in agriculture starts in the field, with farmers, agronomists, and local teams identifying a real challenge. It succeeds only when the solution performs reliably, day after day,” said Masarwa. “That principle has guided our work and the development of solutions such as Orion PC: combining field insight, engineering expertise and continuous refinement to give farmers greater precision, consistency and confidence. I am deeply honored to receive the Irrigation Association’s 2026 Innovator Award. This recognition belongs equally to the colleagues, partners and farmers who challenge us to keep improving and help turn practical needs into innovations that move irrigation forward.”
The 2026 IA Award recipients will be honored at the 2026 Irrigation Show and Education Week in Las Vegas, Dec. 7-10. More information about this and other IA awards and past recipients can be found at irrigation.org/awards.
