Awareness raising workshop for farmers on KUSUM component A in Ludhiana
GIZ India in collaboration with ICAR-ATARI, Ludhiana, jointly organized one day awareness raising workshop for farmers on 4th July 2024 at ATARI, Ludhiana. Around 40 farmers from neighbouring villages attended the workshop, where they received comprehensive information about the KUSUM Comp-A. This collaborative workshop facilitated the exchange of information and experiences with farmers, fostering a holistic understanding.
KUSUM LKUSUM Component-A focusses upon AgriPV to empower farmers by enabling them to generate electricity through solar panels. This initiative not only reduces agricultural electricity costs but also creates new income opportunities by allowing farmers to sell surplus power back to the grid. Overall, Kusum Component A aims to improve farmer livelihoods, foster economic growth, and contribute towards the country’s shift towards renewable energy.
The objective of this workshop was to sensitize medium and large farmers about the potential of AgriPV under KUSUM Comp A and to collect their perspectives and feedback. The workshop also provided an opportunity to evaluate the upsides of the KUSUM Comp A, by directly hearing from farmers who are currently benefiting from the scheme.
Director, ICAR-ATARI, Ludhiana Mr. Parvender Sheoran presided over the event, and emphasized our responsibility to increase the use of renewable energy, balancing it with coal produced-electricity, thus taking care of the environment. He mentioned the land of Punjab is 99 percent irrigated, and farmers use every inch of their land for production, and suggested high potential of AgriPV in Ladakh, owing to large barren land. He urged the participant farmers to further propagate the learnings of the workshop amongst their community.
Farmers from Ludhiana articulated a pressing concern regarding low tariff rates and financial viability of AgriPV. Ensuring the economic feasibility of the PM-KUSUM Component A scheme for small farmers emerged as a critical need.
In the context of Punjab's abundance of water, fertile soil, and high agricultural productivity, transition from traditional crops such as paddy to vegetables was highlighted as an issue by farmers in the workshop. However, this led to Vertical AgriPV emerging as a promising alternative for optimal land use for agriculture alongside accommodating large-scale machinery. Easy financing options were also discussed in the workshop to facilitate easy uptake of AgriPV in the state.
The training session marked a resounding success for all stakeholders involved, providing invaluable insights and fostering meaningful collaboration towards agricultural advancement and sustainability.