Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday underlined the possibilities of agrivoltaics while sharing an article by Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Shivraj Singh Chouhan. He said that this technology has the potential to increase the income of farmers and give a new direction to rural prosperity by combining solar energy production with agricultural activities.
Taking to social media platform 'X', the Prime Minister said that agrivoltaics can provide a source of additional income to farmers, reduce energy costs and boost crop productivity. He described it as an important medium for rural development and strengthening the economic condition of farmers.
It is noteworthy that India is hosting the Seventh Agrivoltaics World Conference in New Delhi from 21 to 23 October, the theme of which has been 'Powering the Global South'.
In the article, Prahlad Joshi and Shivraj Singh Chauhan said that agrivoltaics, also known as AgriPV, offers farmers the opportunity to produce clean energy while continuing to farm the same land. This can increase the sources of income of farmers and increase their economic strength amid uncertainties in the agricultural sector.
According to the government, there are preparations to give special place to agrivoltaics in the next phase of the Pradhan Mantri-Kusum Yojana. This will give further impetus to solar energy production in the agricultural sector and will provide a strong base to the efforts for solarization of irrigation.
The ministers mentioned in their article that about 86 percent of India's farmers are small and marginal farmers. Agrivoltaics can give them the opportunity to earn income from both agricultural production and clean energy.
According to him, this model can reduce dependence on diesel and purchased power while providing additional income from power sales. Apart from this it helps in creating microclimate, which can protect crops from conditions like extreme heat, drought, intense solar radiation and hailstorm.
The article states that widespread use of agrivoltaics will also create new employment opportunities in rural areas. Employment generation at local level will be promoted through installation, maintenance and related agricultural services of solar infrastructure.
He also emphasized that successful implementation of agrivoltaics will require selection of suitable crops, adequate irrigation, nutrient management and designs that ensure adequate sunlight for farming.
The ministers said that better coordination between agriculture and energy departments, state governments, research institutes and local bodies will be vital to make this model successful.
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