New Delhi/Bhubaneswar, Oct 22: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Energy, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo on Thursday said Odisha is finalizing its landmark Agri-PV Policy 2026, making it the first state in India to establish a dedicated agrivoltaics policy.

Speaking today at the 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Singh Deo outlined Odisha's vision of “One Field, Two Harvests,” which seeks to harmonize agricultural production with clean energy generation under the guiding principle that the farmer comes first and the solar panel second.

The proposed policy sets an ambitious goal of deploying 1 GW of agrivoltaic capacity across Odisha by 2030, anchored by strict legislative safeguards that require 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.

Designed to offer flexibility and economic security, the framework enables farmers to either own systems directly to generate dual income streams from crop sales and power generation or partner with solar developers under assured long-term lease rents.

To provide long-term certainty for developers and institutional investors, Odisha offers 25-year Power Purchase Agreements with GRIDCO, guaranteed off-take, grid connectivity, and open-access rights, while simplifying the farmer onboarding process that integrates Agri-PV incentives with support for drip irrigation, cold storage, solar pumps, and agro-processing.

Highlighting the urgent need for climate resilience in the face of rising temperatures and erratic rainfall projected across the state by 2070, KSingh Deo emphasized that raised solar arrays act as a vital shield for smallholders by creating cooler microclimates, conserving soil moisture, and protecting both crops and field workers.

"We want to make our farmers empowered with Annadata se Urjadata tak," added the Deputy CM.

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The initiative builds on the substantial momentum of Odisha's Renewable Energy Policy 2022 and its recent RE Investor Conclave in February 2026, which secured ₹67,000 crore in clean energy commitments across 6.8 GW.

Ground-level implementation is already underway with a 1 MW Agri-PV project, alongside a strategic pilot collaboration with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, to test advanced agrivoltaic solutions on Odisha's 40.7 lakh acres of suitable cropland and 47.7 lakh acres of fallow land.

He extended an open invitation to global research institutions, private investors, and sister States to join hands with Odisha in building a state-led, farmer-centered national agrivoltaics movement.