India to host global conference to explore how farms can produce food and solar power together

India will host the 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference from October 21 to 23, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, as the country looks to explore ways of expanding the use of solar power alongside farming.The conference is expected to bring together farmers, policymakers, researchers, industry leaders and international delegates to share experiences and explore ways to combine agriculture and solar power. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) said the event will focus on developing farmer-centric and commercially viable agrivoltaics solutions and strengthening India’s role in the global sector.Agrivoltaics refers to the use of the same land for both farming and solar power generation, allowing farmers to continue growing crops while also earning income from electricity generated by solar panels.The government also announced an Agrivoltaics Pitch Hub, titled “Fueling Farm to Fork Innovations”, with the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) as its knowledge partner. The initiative will invite innovations based on the 3F framework of food, fuel and fibre, aimed at finding new applications for agrivoltaics.The 6th World Conference on Agrivoltaics was held in Freiburg, Germany, from July 1 to 3, 2025.Speaking about the need for more research, New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi said agrivoltaics solutions need to be tested across different crops, climates and regions to determine what works best.He cited research underway at BAIF’s Rural Innovation Centre in Pune, where 17 different solar configurations are being tested across 30 crops. The research is examining factors such as the height and spacing of solar panels, tracking systems and the business model best suited to different farming conditions.Joshi said the next phase of the government’s PM-KUSUM scheme will include a dedicated component for agrivoltaics. The aim is to allow farmers to continue cultivating their land while earning additional income from solar power, providing some protection against unpredictable monsoons and fluctuations in farm prices.He said India’s experience could be particularly useful for developing countries in the Global South, where farms tend to be smaller, sunlight is abundant and electricity grids are still developing.“India’s scale” provides an opportunity to develop affordable and practical agrivoltaics solutions that can subsequently be replicated across the Global South, the minister said.Joshi also highlighted India’s broader expansion of renewable energy. The country added 55.29 GW of non-fossil fuel-based power capacity last year, he said, a figure larger than the entire installed power capacity of countries such as Norway, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium.Under PM-KUSUM, around 29 lakh agricultural pumps have been solarised, according to the minister. Decentralised solar capacity added 16.3 GW last year, comprising 7.6 GW under PM-KUSUM and 8.7 GW of rooftop solar, largely through the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.The rooftop solar scheme has reached around 5.6 million beneficiaries, Joshic said.

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