Page 80 - Azerbaijan State University of Economics

Sathish Kumar Murugan, Ganeshkumar D.Rede, Teena Lakshmi Baskaran, Prity Kumari,
Alina Cristina Nuta: Determinants of Solar Water Pumping System Adoption Among
Farmers: A Factor
Analysis Approach

Keywords: Solar water pumping system; Technology adoption; Institutional support;

Sustainable agriculture; West Bengal.

JEL codes: Q01; Q56; O14; O13

INTRODUCTION
India, as an agrarian economy, finds itself in a double bind, as it must promote
sustainable agricultural practices amid dwindling groundwater resources and
increasing energy demand. Given that over 80% of extracted freshwater is used in
agriculture, which accounts for 30–40% of electricity usage, innovation in the use of
water and energy is crucial (Goel et al., 2022; Verma et al., 2018). Solar water
pumping systems (SWPS) have evolved as an efficient alternative to grid-powered or
diesel-based irrigation, providing a localized, renewable source for groundwater
extraction (Fathima M.S. et al., 2023; Sathish Kumar et al., 2024). The move towards
solar-powered agriculture worldwide is being driven by factors such as environmental
concerns, rising fuel costs, and government subsidies (Bouaguel & Alsulimani, 2022;
HADOUGA, 2023). There are schemes at the centre and state levels supporting SWPS
adoption in India, providing 60% subsidies (Manimaran, 2025). Programs like the
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM)
scheme plan to install 2 million standalone solar pumps, aiming to make farmers self-
reliant in terms of energy. There are also differences in adoption rates across the
country, even though mobilized by policies due to socio-economic and infrastructural
disparities (Varbanov et al., 2021; Yasmeen et al., 2023). In the high and largely
smallholder-dominated farming state of West Bengal, with erratic electricity supply,
the potential of SWPS is high. There are 2,200 to 2,800 sunshine hours in a year, and
therefore, solar irrigation is technically viable (Kumar M et al., 2024). Adoption in
the Sundarbans and other remote areas has transformed irrigation, particularly through
the use of solar-powered drip systems (Das et al., 2024; Goel et al., 2022).
Nevertheless, the overall uptake is low due to the upfront cost, limited awareness, and
fragmented landholdings (Agrawal & Jain, 2019; Bwalya et al., 2023; Yadav et al.,
2023). Factors influencing adoption are multifaceted. Some of the economic
contributions include low operating costs, flexible credit schemes, and selling excess
energy (Kar et al., 2024; Zhou & Abdullah, 2017). At the same time, non-economic
factors such as awareness, education, trust in technology, and extension services are
also extremely important (Asif et al., 2022; Sommerfeld & Buys, 2014). The policy
implemented by governments in states such as Gujarat, combined with institutional
trust, led to strong adoption of the Suryashakti Kisan Yojana (SKY) program (V.
Kumar et al., 2020; Varshney et al., 2024). These can inform similar interventions in

80