Phase I research showed that grid-connected solar pumps increased farmer incomes by about 34 percent and encouraged crop diversification. The project also supported gender inclusion by improving women’s access to solar irrigation and by integrating Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) considerations into subsidy schemes.
India’s solar irrigation sector is expanding rapidly. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) programme is the main driver of this growth and aims to add about 34,800 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity by 2026. The programme continues to evolve, but it remains central to the large-scale adoption of solar irrigation pumps in the country.
Under Phase II, work in India focuses on developing evidence-based policy tools linked to the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) nexus, testing climate-smart financing models for smallholder and marginal farmers, building capacities through specialised training linked to PM-KUSUM, and establishing living laboratories to test bundled solar applications that improve agriculture and rural livelihoods.
The project intends to collaborate with institutions such as the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to support the scaling of solar energy solutions that promote social inclusion and climate resilience. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation efforts continue to inform scaling strategies. In line with India’s renewable energy goals and rural development priorities, Solar Energy for Agricultural Resilience (SoLAR) Phase II aims to provide the technical and policy support needed for the sustainable and equitable expansion of solar irrigation.