New Delhi: Odisha is set to become the first state in India to have a dedicated agrivoltaics policy, with the state government finalizing its landmark Agri-PV Policy 2026. Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, made the announcement today while speaking at the 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Addressing international delegates, scientists, policy makers and investors during the Keynote Address of the Ministerial Session co-organized with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, IISD and CEEW, the Dy CM outlined Odisha’s vision of “One Field, Two Harvests” — harmonizing agricultural production with clean energy generation under the principle that the farmer comes first and the solar panel second.
The proposed policy sets an ambitious target of deploying 1 GW of agrivoltaic capacity across Odisha by 2030. It mandates strict safeguards requiring at least 90 per cent of every project site to remain under active cultivation while maintaining the land’s agricultural classification and crop insurance eligibility.
The framework offers flexibility and economic security to farmers — enabling them to either own systems directly to earn dual income from crop sales and power generation, or partner with solar developers under assured long-term lease rents.
To provide certainty for developers and investors, Odisha will offer 25-year Power Purchase Agreements with GRIDCO, guaranteed off-take, grid connectivity and open-access rights, while simplifying farmer onboarding by integrating Agri-PV incentives with support for drip irrigation, cold storage, solar pumps and agro-processing.
Highlighting climate resilience amid rising temperatures and erratic rainfall projected by 2070, Singh Deo said raised solar arrays will act as a shield for smallholders by creating cooler microclimates, conserving soil moisture and protecting crops and field workers.
“We want to make our farmers empowered with Annadata se Urjadata tak,” he said. The initiative builds on Odisha’s Renewable Energy Policy 2022 and the RE Investor Conclave in February 2026, which secured Rs 67,000 crore in clean energy commitments across 6.8 GW.
Ground-level implementation has already begun with a 1 MW Agri-PV project and a pilot collaboration with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, to test advanced solutions on Odisha’s 40.7 lakh acres of suitable cropland and 47.7 lakh acres of fallow land.
The Dy CM invited global research institutions, private investors and sister states to join Odisha in building a farmer-centered national agrivoltaics movement. ACS Energy Vishal Kumar Dev, Commissioner-cum-Secretary Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav and other senior officials of the Odisha government also participated in the conclave.
