Who was Daniel Hillel and how has he forever changed water’s relationship to food?
Daniel Hillel, an American who moved to Palestine in the 1940s, is widely recognized for revolutionizing water’s impact on food production. Hillel played a vital role in desert agriculture in Israel’s Negev Desert. Born in Los Angeles, California, at the beginning of the Great Depression, Hillel was raised in Palestine, later becoming a key figure in the development of Israel. His early experiences on a kibbutz sparked a life-long passion for protecting the land and its resources, leading him in his pursuit of a career in agriculture.
After earning a Master of Science degree in earth sciences from Rutgers University (1951), Hillel began his work with the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture in soil and irrigation mapping. He later joined a group dedicated to developing agricultural communities in the Negev Desert. He played a key role in the establishment of the Negev settlement of Sde Boker, which gained the attention of Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion, prompting Hillel to become a member of the settlement. Their collaboration resulted in Hillel being sent on goodwill missions to promote sustainable agricultural techniques in various developing countries.
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Hillel’s significant impact can be seen through the innovative irrigation techniques he advanced, with long-term effects on agriculture and food production. His research has been recognized and applied globally. His development of ‘High-frequency, Efficient, Low-volume, Partial-area, Farm-unit, Low-cost’ (HELPFUL) irrigation technology has had a considerable impact on high-yielding, nutritious food production on more than six million hectares worldwide. Furthermore, Hillel’s work with rainwater harvesting, infiltration enhancement, and soil surface treatment greatly enhanced agricultural productivity and sustainability.
Throughout his career, Hillel worked with international organizations and agencies, conducted fieldwork in various countries, and pursued an academic career, authoring numerous books and scientific papers. For his exceptional work in developing new micro-irrigation systems, Hillel was awarded The World Food Prize in 2012, emphasizing the global impact of his work and the significance of sustainable water management in agriculture. His remarkable accomplishments have transformed the relationship between water and food production, shaping agricultural practices for the betterment of our world.
