Abstract

Solar energy with agrivoltaics, micro-irrigation and crop diversification offers compelling opportunities to enhance food production, farm revenue and adaptation to climate change in smallholder communities in India and elsewhere. A key aspect is the integration of new sustainable technologies that allow for a more optimized use of land, water and human resources to the benefit of local communities. Our team established a member-based system in a small village in Bihar, India, including solar panels, groundwater access and micro-irrigation. A farmer-based cooperative arrangement instigated cropping innovations and other local adaptations that facilitated multiple benefits.

Speakers

Dr. Milorad Plavsic

Dr. Milorad Plavsic is TCI’s manager for strategic initiatives. Before joining TCI, Misha worked as a food system challenge manager at the Global Challenges Research Fund at UK Research and Innovation. His work experience also includes roles at the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra), where he worked in the better regulation team, and in the Ministry of Agriculture of Serbia, where he worked in the IPARD Managing Authority. Misha holds a PhD in agricultural and food economics and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Reading in the UK, as well as a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Novi Sad in Serbia.

Dr. Harold van Es

Dr. Harold van Es is a professor in the Section of Soil and Crop Sciences at Cornell University and served as its department chair. He served as president of the Soil Science Society of America in 2016. He has authored over 220 papers and has educated thousands of professionals and students on sustainable soil and crop management. He is the lead developer of the Cornell Soil Health Initiative, two commercialized digital technologies for crop nitrogen management, and spatially balanced designs for field experiments. In recent years, he studied solar energy technologies and their role in agriculture and community development in developed and developing countries. Over his 40-year career at Cornell, he conducted projects in the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. He is a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy, and his work has been recognized through numerous awards from scientific and professional organizations.