India's fields of the future: Harvesting sunlight and crops together

India's farmland has always carried the burden of uncertainty.

- Tirthankar Mitra

The rhythm of the monsoon, the vagaries of temperature, and the volatility of market prices combine to keep millions of farmers on edge.

Against this backdrop, the quiet rise of farming beneath solar panels offers a glimpse of a different future. In this model, a farmer's livelihood is no longer at the mercy of clouds or commodity traders.

Known as agrivoltaics, the system uses elevated solar arrays that allow cultivation to continue underneath. The concept is elegantly simple: the same plot of land generates electricity for a guaranteed payment while still producing crops for sale. For farmers, this dual use can mean the difference between sleepless nights and a steady income.