- Why in news
- On 21 October 2026, the Agriculture and New & Renewable Energy Ministers inaugurated the three-day AgriVoltaics World Conference 2026 in India. The Minister announced a large agrivoltaic programme under the next phase of PM-KUSUM.
- What it is
- Agrivoltaics is the joint use of one piece of land for crops and solar power. Panels are mounted above the field, usually raised and spaced so that crops can grow and machinery can pass beneath. It aims to ease the competition between food production and solar land use.
- Core idea
- Solar panels are installed above farmland while crops continue to grow beneath them.
- Potential in India
- A TERI study estimates about 47.5 million hectares of India's cropland is technically suitable. This is roughly 30% of 160 million hectares.
- Cost gap
- Elevated and tilted structures make agrivoltaic plants 25-30% costlier than conventional ground-mounted solar. The government aims to bridge the gap by supporting AgriPV capacity.
- PM-KUSUM link
- The next phase of PM-KUSUM will carry an agrivoltaic programme. The scheme already supports decentralised solar plants, standalone solar pumps and feeder-level solarisation.
- Climate-zone framework
- A Global Agrivoltaics Climate-Zone Technical Framework was launched to help set standards and move from pilots to wider adoption.
- Reported field benefits
- Field studies indicate yield gains of 10-20% for certain crops and about 30% lower water use under suitable systems.
Don’t confuse with Agrivoltaics vs ground-mounted solar: Ground-mounted solar replaces farming on the land. Agrivoltaics keeps cultivation going under raised panels.
Don’t confuse with PM-KUSUM vs PM Surya Ghar: PM-KUSUM targets farmers' solar pumps and plants. PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana targets rooftop solar for households.
Science and technology: 57 Prelims questions since 2013; most test the concept behind the news, not the news itself. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.
Why it matters
- Lets one plot give both crops and power, easing the food-versus-energy land conflict.
- Can add farm income and rural jobs, and cut diesel use in pumping.
Problems
- Higher capital cost of 25-30% over conventional solar, and average holdings of only 0.96 hectares.
- Designs must allow machinery, drainage and crop change; potential figures are technical estimates, not guaranteed deployment.
Way forward
- Support the cost gap through the next phase of PM-KUSUM and set technical standards by climate zone.
- Involve FPOs, train rural youth and women in maintenance, and build power-purchase models with discoms.
Put in your answer
One land, two harvests: Principle stated for agrivoltaics: farmers earn from both cultivation and electricity on the same land.
Non-fossil capacity: India's non-fossil installed capacity reached 308.03 GW, over 55% of about 560 GW total.
Foreign models: Germany ties support to continued farming and minimum crop yields. Japan opened all farmland categories to agrivoltaics.
- 2019Mains GS3 · Q3How far Integrated Farming System helps sustain agricultural production.
- 2025Mains GS1 · Q6Ecological and economic benefits of solar energy generation in India, with examples.
- 2022Mains GS3 · Q14What Integrated Farming System is and how it helps small farmers.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Concept of combining solar power with farming; lasting syllabus topic. No scheme provisions or testable numbers, so no question.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.