India hosts Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026 for the first time in the Global South

India hosted the AgriVoltaics World Conference 2026 for the first time in the Global South, jointly inaugurated by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy. Discussions focused on integrating solar energy generation with agricultural cultivation ("One land, two harvests") to help small and marginal farmers become both "Annadatas" and "Urjadatas." Key announcements included the upcoming next phase of the PM-KUSUM scheme to expand solar energy in agriculture, addressing cost gaps for agrivoltaics, and launching the Global Agrivoltaics Climate-Zone Technical Framework. Officials highlighted that agrivoltaics could optimize land use, improve crop yields, reduce water consumption, and generate employment in rural areas.