Agrivoltaics: PM-KUSUM's next phase to back solar-plus-crop farms, ministers say

The 7th AgriVoltaics World Conference opened on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, hosted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under the theme "Powering the Global South". On the same day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared an article by Union ministers Pralhad Joshi and Shivraj Singh Chouhan arguing that agrivoltaics, growing crops and producing solar power on the same land, can raise farm incomes. The article says the next phase of the PM-KUSUM solar scheme for farmers will give agrivoltaics a dedicated place.

Agrivoltaics means installing solar panels on farmland in a way that still lets crops grow, usually by raising the panels high on frames or spacing them in rows with crops between or beneath them. The panels produce electricity while the land keeps producing food. For a country with limited land and a fast-growing need for clean power, the idea is attractive because it avoids choosing between a solar park and a field.

For farmers, the main promise is a steadier income. Crop earnings swing with the weather and with market prices. Electricity sold to a distribution company under a long contract gives a more predictable stream of money, while solar pumps can cut spending on diesel for irrigation. The ministers' article frames this as a way to protect small farmers against uncertainty, which matters because, by its own figure, most Indian farmers hold small plots.

There are practical questions too. Panels shade crops, so the choice of crop, panel height and spacing decides whether yields hold up. The upfront cost is high, which is why the government wants to work through Farmer Producer Organisations, cooperatives and panchayats that can pool land and money. Farmers will also want clarity on contracts with power companies, who pays for maintenance, and whether they keep full control of their land, which the ministers say they will.

PM-KUSUM, the existing scheme, already helps farmers install solar pumps and small solar plants on barren or farmland. Adding a separate agrivoltaics component would give this model its own funding rules and targets. The ministers have not yet given a launch date for the scheme's next phase.

Short-term: The three-day conference brings together researchers, companies, officials and farmer groups from India and abroad to share results from pilot projects and discuss financing and technology.

Long-term: If the dedicated component is approved and rolled out, farmer groups and cooperatives could set up agrivoltaic plants that add to rural incomes and to India's clean power supply. The success will depend on crop yields under panels, fair power purchase prices and easy access to loans.

Who is affected: small and marginal farmers; Farmer Producer Organisations, cooperatives and panchayats; power distribution companies; solar equipment makers and installers; and rural banks that may lend for such projects.

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