Is Irrigation a Sunset Industry? A Review on the Perspective Based on the Malaysian Experience

ABSTRACT The perception of irrigation as a ‘sunset industry’ has gained prominence amid rapid advances in agricultural technology, increasing climate uncertainty and evolving competition for land and water. This paper challenges that narrative by examining the enduring and transformative role of irrigation within global and national food systems. Despite ageing infrastructure, declining investment and technological disruption, irrigation remains indispensable: It accounts for 40% of global food production while occupying only 20% of cultivated land, and it is critical to achieving Malaysia's rice self‐sufficiency targets. Drawing on evidence from Malaysia's granary regions, the paper demonstrates how modernisation, supported by precision technologies, micro‐irrigation, adaptive water control systems, and nature‐based solutions, is reshaping irrigation into a more efficient, integrated and sustainable sector. Three paradigm shifts are identified as central to its future trajectory: Moving from water volume to water efficiency, from standalone approaches to integrated climate smart systems and from extractive practices to sustainability led frameworks. These shifts underscore irrigation's evolution into a strategic pillar of climate resilience, rural livelihoods and long‐term food security. Ultimately, the paper argues that irrigation is not a declining legacy sector but a sustainable industry undergoing rapid reinvention, essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and for navigating emerging agricultural and environmental challenges.