Nouvelles

Ramanbhai Parmar, a producer of wheat and banana in Anand district, has become the first farmer to sell energy back to the power grid from the solar panels that drive his water pump.

Read about this project: Why India’s leap into the solar-powered age must take along farmers

He received his first payment for his “solar crop” last week. With up to 3,000 hours of sunlight each year, Gujarat is one of India’s sunniest states. But extended hot, dry spells, and increasingly unpredictable rains mean many farmers are feeling the heat. Vital groundwater reserves are also suffering as farmers take advantage of subsidised energy to pump water for irrigation, often extracting more than they need.

“’Solar crops’ are a very exciting example of a triple-win,” said IWMI senior fellow Tushaar Shah. “Farmers, the state, and precious water reserves all benefit from a single intervention.

Solar crops are a very exciting example of a triple-win

“We know that India’s farmers are extremely responsive to incentives that improve productivity and incomes. By offering them the chance to sell the electricity generated by their solar-powered water pumps, we could make agriculture in India cleaner and greener.”

Read the original article on IWMI website: Payday for India’s first ever “sunshine farmer”