Victoria's irrigation sector underpins the regional economies of many rural Victorian communities and produces $2.7 billion worth of agricultural produce (ABS, 2006).

Irrigation accounts for more than 75% of consumptive water use in Victoria, or 2,500 GL per annum on average, with around 630,000 hectares of land used for commercial irrigation.

A viable irrigation sector that minimises the environmental impact of water use and other farm practices is an important contributor to the prosperity of Victoria.

The Victorian Government's aspiration is for irrigation to be increasingly productive with lower environmental impact, and more efficient use of water in agriculture is identified as a key progress measure in Growing Victoria Together (GVT). Farm and irrigation delivery system efficiency is reported against in the annual GVT report.

Over the last 30 years, the irrigation sector has made significant progress in addressing resource management issues and, with government support, has invested strongly in managing salinity and nutrient threats facing both irrigation and the environment.  Through a multiple outcome approach the solutions have also addressed increasing the productivity of the irrigation sector.