Agrivoltaics To Turn Indian Farmers Into Urjadatas, Says Pralhad Joshi

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Shri Pralhad Joshi has said agrivoltaics can help Indian farmers generate food and clean electricity from the same land, creating an additional and more stable source of income. He made the remarks while addressing the curtain-raiser event for the 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026 in New Delhi.

Describing the transformation of the “Annadata” into an “Urjadata,” Shri Joshi said the next phase of the PM-KUSUM scheme will include a dedicated component for agrivoltaics. The initiative is expected to enable farmers to continue cultivation while also earning income from solar power. The focus will be on small and marginal farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations, cooperatives and panchayats, while ensuring that land ownership remains with farmers.

According to the Minister, agrivoltaics can provide farmers with three income streams from the same acre: earnings from crops, revenue from electricity supplied to DISCOMs and savings from reduced diesel consumption. He said solar power can provide greater income security to farmers, whose earnings are often affected by monsoon conditions and fluctuations in agricultural markets.

Shri Joshi noted that India accounts for around 18% of the world’s population but has only 2.4% of the world’s land. More than 85% of Indian farmers are small and marginal farmers cultivating less than two hectares. He said agrivoltaics can help address land constraints by allowing agricultural production and solar power generation to take place together.

The Minister also highlighted India’s renewable energy progress, stating that the country added 55.29 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity last year. Under PM-KUSUM, around 29 lakh pumps have been solarised. Decentralised solar contributed 16.3 GW last year, including 7.6 GW through PM-KUSUM and 8.7 GW of rooftop solar, largely under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, which has reached around 5.6 million beneficiaries.

He stressed the need for greater research to identify suitable agrivoltaic designs for different crops, climates and regions. At BAIF’s Rural Innovation Centre in Pune, researchers are testing 17 solar configurations across 30 crops. Shri Joshi called for innovations in structures and mounting systems that allow tractors and harvesters to operate freely and withstand local weather conditions.

He also urged ICAR, agricultural universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras to generate crop- and region-specific data. India’s growing pool of skilled workers, including nearly 70,000 trained Surya Mitras, can support the expansion of the sector.

The 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026 will be held from October 21 to 23 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The international conference will bring together farmers, policymakers, researchers, industry leaders and international delegations to discuss practical pathways for scaling agrivoltaics in India and the Global South.