In a historic first for the Global South, India has officially opened its doors to the AgriVoltaics World Conference 2026. Jointly inaugurated on October 21 by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, the three-day international summit is setting a transformative global agenda for combining agricultural cultivation with solar photovoltaic power generation.
Turning Annadatas into Urjadatas
Addressing the inaugural session, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasised that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary leadership, Indian farmers are poised to become both Annadatas (providers of food) and Urjadatas (providers of energy).
Highlighting India’s phenomenal agricultural achievements—including a steady 4.5% sectoral growth rate and record agricultural exports touching USD 52.55 billion—Chouhan stressed that structural realities must dictate policy. With India’s average landholding standing at just 0.96 hectares and small and marginal farmers constituting over 85% of the farming community, agrivoltaics systems cannot be allowed to replace traditional farming.
“Agrivoltaics policies must be tailored to the practical needs of our smallholders,” Chouhan stated. “We need robust system designs with optimal panel heights, strategic support structure spacing, and clear pathways for agricultural machinery, allowing farmers to seamlessly plough, harvest, and adapt cropping patterns.”
The Agriculture Minister also called for robust rainwater harvesting integration to prevent soil erosion, alongside active training initiatives for rural youth, women, and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in equipment maintenance to drive grassroots employment.
“One Land, Two Harvests”: The Clean Energy Horizon
Unveiling India’s rapid green energy strides, New and Renewable Energy Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi announced that the nation’s non-fossil fuel-based installed electricity capacity has surged to 308.03 GW, accounting for over 55% of India’s total 560 GW capacity.
Championing the core principle of “One land, two harvests,” Joshi underscored the massive economic potential of agrivoltaics. Citing a study by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), he noted that nearly 47.5 million hectares—roughly 30% of India’s cropland—are technically suitable for agrivoltaics.
Furthermore, field studies presented at the conference indicate that proper agrivoltaic setups can lead to:
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10–20% yield improvements for specific shade-tolerant crops, vegetables, and horticulture.
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A 30% reduction in crop water consumption.
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Generation costs optimised down to Rs 3.20–Rs 3.30 per unit through competitive design and financing models.
Scaling Up Through PM-KUSUM and Global Partnerships
To address the initial cost barrier—where elevated agrivoltaic structures can run 25–30% more expensive than standard ground mounts—Shri Joshi announced that one of the world’s most ambitious agrivoltaic programmes will be launched under the next phase of PM-KUSUM. This initiative aims to bridge the financial gap and align seamlessly with existing rural infrastructure like cold chains and mandis.
The conference also witnessed the launch of the Global Agrivoltaics Climate-Zone Technical Framework, designed to help governments and developers transition from small pilot projects to massive, standardised rollouts across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
With participation from global experts, international institutions, and key policymakers, including Minister of State Shripad Yesso Naik and Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra, the conference runs through October 23, 2026, marking a monumental milestone in climate-smart agriculture.
