Integrated technological governance and ecosystem based strategies for irrigation system resilience under climate change a systematic review

Abstract Climate change poses significant strain on global water supplies, necessitating robust adaptive measures in irrigated agriculture to ensure food security. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, this study provides a systematic assessment of 33 high-impact peer-reviewed articles to investigate institutional, ecosystem-based, and technological approaches to irrigation resilience. Our results demonstrate a multifaceted socio-hydrological framework, moving beyond conventional engineering-centric assessments. Synthesized global data reveals that integrating precision irrigation (IoT and remote sensing) with nature-based solutions (NbS) and adaptive governance can yield 15–30% water savings and 10–25% increases in crop productivity. However, substantial data-related and socio-economic obstacles remain. This paper introduces a Tri-Axial Analytical Matrix—comprising the Technical Flexibility Index (TFI), Socio-Ecological Buffer (SEB), and Governance Agility Score (GAS)—to operationalize resilience as a dynamic system property. Findings indicate that technological efficiency is functionally capped by governance capacity, with potential water savings dropping by nearly half in the absence of institutional empowerment. By bridging the gap between infrastructure and governance, this study provides a strategic roadmap for policymakers to design evidence-based, climate-adaptive initiatives in arid and semi-arid regions.