# Op-ed: As India hosts the Agrivoltaics World Conference, farms can grow crops and power

URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-21/agrivoltaics-world-conference-oped/
Date: 21 October 2026 (2026-10-21)
Source: Indian Express, Opinion, Page 13
UPSC papers: GS3
Publisher: upsc.help (Pratidin), free and open-source UPSC Civil Services current affairs. Not affiliated with UPSC. Every fact was checked against the source reports by a separate review before publishing.

**In one line:** An Indian Express op-ed argues that agrivoltaics, growing crops under solar panels, can add income for small farmers and speed up solar expansion, as New Delhi hosts the 7th AgriVoltaics World Conference from 21 to 23 October 2026.

India is hosting the 7th AgriVoltaics World Conference at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from 21 to 23 October 2026, under the theme "Powering the Global South". The annual series began online in 2020 and was held in Freiburg, Germany, in 2025. An op-ed in The Indian Express on 21 October argues that agrivoltaics, or agri-photovoltaics (AgriPV), which lets farmers grow crops and generate solar electricity on the same land, can give them a new source of income. It says the Centre's PM-KUSUM scheme for farm solar is being expanded to create separate space for AgriPV, and that the effort should target small and marginal farmers, who it says make up about 86% of India's farmers.

The op-ed argues that AgriPV cuts farmers' costs by replacing diesel or purchased power, and creates a microclimate that can protect crops from heat stress, drought, excess solar radiation and hail. It says AgriPV designs typically aim to keep about 70% or more of incoming sunlight at the crop canopy, and that success depends on shade-tolerant crops with stable yields. It cites research at ICAR's Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, and BAIF's Rural Innovation Centre, Pune. A 100 kWp Agri-PV pilot under the Centre of Excellence on Agri-PV at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute was inaugurated on 18 December 2025, with MNRE, the National Institute of Solar Energy and Germany's GIZ as partners; the op-ed says it will generate two years of data on crop suitability.

PM-KUSUM, launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in 2019, supports small solar plants of up to 2 MW on barren or fallow farmland (Component A), standalone solar pumps (Component B) and solarisation of grid-connected pumps (Component C). In March 2026 MNRE extended its deadlines, with Component A commissioning now due by 31 March 2027, after banks were slow to lend. The op-ed names the risks itself: farmer trust, protection of land ownership, and the need to involve tenant cultivators and women farmers in design and benefit sharing. It sees the International Solar Alliance as a base for joint AgriPV research with other sunny countries.

## Prelims facts

- The 7th AgriVoltaics World Conference is being held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from 21 to 23 October 2026, with the theme "Powering the Global South".
- Agrivoltaics (AgriPV) uses the same land for crops and solar power; designs typically aim to keep about 70% or more of sunlight at the crop canopy, the op-ed says.
- A 100 kWp Agri-PV pilot at ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, was inaugurated on 18 December 2025 with MNRE, NISE and GIZ as partners.
- PM-KUSUM (2019, MNRE) has three components: small solar plants on barren land, standalone solar pumps and solarisation of grid-connected pumps.
- The op-ed flags farmer trust, land ownership and inclusion of tenants and women farmers as key risks.

## Quick recall

- **Where and when is the 7th AgriVoltaics World Conference held?** Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, 21 to 23 October 2026
- **What is the conference theme?** "Powering the Global South"
- **What is agrivoltaics?** Using the same land for both crops and solar power generation
- **What capacity is the Agri-PV pilot at ICAR-IARI?** 100 kWp
- **When was the ICAR-IARI Agri-PV pilot inaugurated?** 18 December 2025
- **Which ministry runs PM-KUSUM?** The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
- **What is the maximum plant size under PM-KUSUM Component A?** 2 MW
- **Which two countries launched the International Solar Alliance?** India and France, at COP21 in Paris in 2015

## Prelims practice question

With reference to PM-KUSUM, consider the following statements:
1. It is implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
2. Under Component A, farmers can set up decentralised solar plants of up to 2 MW on barren or fallow land.
3. Component C provides only diesel pumps to farmers without grid access.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only. Statement 1 is correct: MNRE runs the scheme. Statement 2 is correct: Component A covers plants of up to 2 MW on barren or fallow land. Statement 3 is incorrect: Component C solarises existing grid-connected pumps; standalone solar pumps fall under Component B, and the scheme does not provide diesel pumps.

## UPSC previous-year questions this connects to

- UPSC Mains 2022, GS3: Do you think India will meet 50 percent of its energy needs from renewable energy by 2030? Justify your answer. How will the shift of subsidies from fossil fuels to renewables help achieve the above objective? Explain. (https://upsc.help/pyq/q181-do-you-think-india-will-meet-50/)
  How to use this story in the answer: Use agrivoltaics as an example of how India can add solar capacity on farmland without a land conflict, helping its renewable energy goals.
- UPSC Mains 2025, GS3: How can India achieve energy independence through clean technology by 2047? How can biotechnology play a crucial role in this endeavour? (https://upsc.help/pyq/q063-can-india-achieve-energy-independence-through-clean/)
  How to use this story in the answer: Add agrivoltaics as a clean technology that decentralises solar generation onto farms while keeping them productive.
- UPSC Prelims 2016, Prelims: Consider the following statements: 1. The International Solar Alliance was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015. 2. The Alliance includes all the member countries of the United Nations. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (https://upsc.help/pyq/q256-consider-following-statements-1-international-solar-alliance/)

## Mains practice question

Agrivoltaics is being promoted as a way to ease the conflict between land for food and land for solar power. Discuss its potential and the safeguards needed in India. (150 words)

### Model answer

Agrivoltaics (AgriPV) uses the same land for crops and solar panels. As India hosts the 7th AgriVoltaics World Conference (21 to 23 October 2026), it is pitched as a way to avoid choosing between food and power.

## Potential

- **Extra income:** electricity becomes a second revenue stream; diesel or bought power is replaced.
- **Crop protection:** partial shade can shield crops from heat stress, drought and hail.
- **Policy base:** PM-KUSUM already supports farm solar plants of up to 2 MW; an op-ed says it is being expanded for AgriPV.
- **Research:** a 100 kWp pilot at ICAR-IARI (December 2025) will generate crop suitability data.

## Safeguards

- Choose shade-tolerant crops with stable yields.
- Protect land ownership in lease deals.
- Include tenant cultivators and women farmers in benefit sharing.
- Ease finance delays, which pushed the PM-KUSUM Component A commissioning deadline to March 2027.

With these safeguards, AgriPV can serve both energy and farm goals.

## The basics

## Why this matters

India wants far more solar power, and solar parks need land. India also has millions of small farms that must keep producing food. Agrivoltaics tries to end this tug of war by using the same plot for both crops and solar panels. As New Delhi hosts the 7th AgriVoltaics World Conference from 21 to 23 October 2026, an op-ed in The Indian Express argues that this could raise farm incomes and speed up India's energy transition.

## What agrivoltaics is

Agrivoltaics (also called agri-photovoltaics or AgriPV) means mounting solar panels high above, or in rows between, crops, so that the land yields both food and electricity. The panels give partial shade, and designs try to let enough sunlight reach the plants.

## The case made in the op-ed

The op-ed says AgriPV adds a revenue stream for farmers, cuts their spending on diesel or bought power, and creates a microclimate that can protect crops from heat stress, drought, excess radiation and hail. It says designs typically aim to keep about 70% or more of incoming sunlight at the crop canopy, and that adjustable panels add flexibility. It argues that PM-KUSUM, the Centre's farm solar scheme, is being expanded to make room for AgriPV, and that small and marginal farmers, about 86% of farmers, should be the focus.

## The evidence base

India is building research capacity. A 100 kWp Agri-PV pilot at the Centre of Excellence on Agri-PV at IARI in New Delhi was inaugurated on 18 December 2025, with the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), MNRE and Germany's GIZ as partners. The op-ed says it will produce two years of data on which crops suit the shade. It also cites work at ICAR's Central Arid Zone Research Institute in Jodhpur and BAIF's Rural Innovation Centre in Pune.

## The cautions

The op-ed flags farmer trust, protection of land ownership, and the need to include tenant cultivators and women farmers in project design and benefit sharing. Crops must be shade-tolerant and give stable yields. It sees the International Solar Alliance as a base for shared research with other sunny countries.

## Sources

- https://now.solar/2026/10/21/harvesting-the-sun-and-powering-the-farm-the-indian-express/
- https://superkalam.com/current-affairs/21-10-2026/harvesting-the-sun-and-powering-the-farm-pg13-db3864c6-8ad1-41b8-8eb8-d51a749a5e3b
- https://www.iwmi.org/events/agrivoltaics-world-conference-2026/
- https://www.agrivoltaics-conference.org/event/past-events
- https://icar.org.in/en/dg-icar-inaugurates-agri-voltaic-facility-agri-pv-icar-iari
- https://renewablewatch.in/2026/03/31/mnre-extends-timelines-for-projects-under-pm-kusum-scheme/