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Ayan Deb, Neha Bhave, Mihir Mathur, Juwan Singh Patel, Dineshbhai Sangada, Asmitaben Alkeshbhai Chauhan

Solar irrigation has emerged as a flagship solution for sustainable farming in India, offering the promise of clean energy, reduced costs, and improved yields. Government schemes like PM-KUSUM aim to deploy millions of solar pumps nationwide, yet many efforts have fallen short. This session dove deep into the realities on the ground, where poor maintenance, fragmented implementation, and overlooked groundwater dynamics often disrupt the vision of solar-powered transformation.

Drawing on data and field experiences from Gujarat, Odisha, and beyond, speakers highlighted a range of critical failure points: underperforming assets, faulty pump selection, lack of technical support, and limited financial access. Farmers and practitioners shared real-world stories of setbacks and resilience, illustrating how context-blind approaches have led to disillusionment and system breakdowns. Yet, within these challenges lie lessons – especially when communities are empowered to engage with and redesign their own water systems.

From participatory modeling to localized water budgeting, the session showcased tools that bring clarity to the complex interplay between water, energy, food, and markets. Civil society organizations, farmer collectives, and researchers are now piloting adaptive, region-specific models that respond to both ecological and economic realities. Far from discarding solar irrigation, this conversation emphasized learning from its failures – transforming missteps into momentum for smarter, more inclusive irrigation futures.