Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi highlights India’s solar-powered agriculture model as blueprint for food security in Africa
- IBEF
- June 18, 2026
India’s renewable energy-led agricultural transformation is gaining international recognition as a scalable model for sustainable development, particularly across Africa. Highlighting an article by Union Minister Mr. Pralhad Joshi and International Solar Alliance (ISA) Director General Mr. Ashish Khanna, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi underscored how solar-powered farming can strengthen food security, enhance farmer incomes and promote shared prosperity. Through initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) and the ISA, India has successfully integrated clean energy into agriculture, creating a framework that can help address irrigation challenges and improve rural livelihoods globally. The article notes that while India irrigates nearly 55% of its cropland, irrigation coverage in Sub-Saharan Africa remains around 4%, highlighting the immense potential for solar-powered irrigation systems to transform agricultural productivity and reduce dependence on costly diesel-based solutions.
The article identifies Mission 300, a joint initiative of the World Bank and the African Development Bank aimed at expanding electricity access across Africa, as a key platform for scaling solar-powered agriculture. PM-KUSUM, described as the world’s largest distributed solar programme for agriculture, has already enabled the installation of around 2.7 million solar pumps, with a target of adding another 5 million by 2030. The programme has demonstrated significant benefits, including reliable daytime power supply, reduced irrigation costs, enhanced crop diversification and improved rural incomes. The article further emphasises the importance of supportive policy frameworks, farmer-focused financing solutions and local skill development to accelerate solar adoption. India’s solar capacity has grown from 2.8 GW in 2014 to over 157 GW today, while total renewable energy capacity has surpassed 282 GW, reinforcing the country’s position as a global leader in clean energy and sustainable agricultural innovation.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
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