India's solar-powered agriculture model a scalable blueprint for Africa: PM Modi
New Delhi, June 17
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday highlighted India's growing role in advancing sustainable agriculture through clean energy, saying the country's model of harnessing solar power for farming offers a scalable solution for Africa.
Emphasising its potential to strengthen shared prosperity, empower communities and enhance food security, the Prime Minister described the achievement as a matter of pride for India's farmers and the nation.
"Solar power is emerging as a transformative force. India's model of harnessing clean energy for agriculture offers a scalable model for Africa, strengthening shared prosperity, empowering communities and promising food security. Truly a matter of pride for our farmers and all of us!" PM Modi posted on X, sharing an article by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.
The article highlights how India's solar revolution is creating opportunities far beyond its borders.
It points to initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as key drivers in promoting solar-powered agriculture and expanding access to clean energy.
According to the authors, India's experience demonstrates how renewable energy can help improve farm productivity, enhance farmer incomes and reduce dependence on conventional energy sources.
The article argues that the country's successful adoption of solar-powered irrigation and agricultural systems can serve as a model for other regions facing challenges related to energy access, climate resilience and food production.
Joshi also shared the article on X, stating that India's solar revolution is creating pathways far beyond its borders.
He said that through initiatives like PM-KUSUM and the International Solar Alliance, India's proven model of solar-powered agriculture is helping strengthen food security, improve farmer incomes and expand access to clean energy across nations.
"India's solar revolution is creating pathways far beyond its borders," the minister stated.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting development. As someone working in renewable energy consulting in Canada, I've been following India's solar push closely. The PM-KUSUM scheme is genuinely impressive - 30.8 GW target by 2026 is ambitious. Africa's agricultural sector could definitely benefit from this decentralized model, especially in off-grid areas. Would love to see the technical specifications for these solar irrigation systems.
Good initiative but execution remains a concern. In my district in Maharashtra, farmers were promised subsidized solar pumps under PM-KUSUM, but many are still waiting for installation after 2 years. Let's first fix our own implementation before exporting the model. However, the International Solar Alliance is a great platform - India & Africa can learn from each other's challenges too.
Having worked on agricultural projects in Kenya, I can see how this would be a game-changer. Smallholder farmers there struggle with expensive diesel pumps. India's model shows how to do it right - with government subsidies, local manufacturing, and farmer training. The key will be adapting it to different crops and climates across African nations. Hope USA and other countries join India in funding this.
As a farmer from Punjab, I can vouch for solar pumps - they've saved us thousands in electricity bills! But the real game-changer will be if we can integrate battery storage to run them at night too. PM Modi is right that this benefits both countries - we need to export our expertise, not just equipment. Jai Kisan! 🌞🌾
This is the kind of South-South cooperation we need
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