Exploring Agrivoltaics: A Pathway to Climate-Resilient and Productive Land Use in Northern Bangladesh

The growing demand for food, energy, and water in resource-constrained regions intensifies land-use conflicts, where solar photovoltaic (PV) expansion often competes with agriculture. Agrivoltaics, the co-location of crop cultivation beneath PV systems, offers a potential dual-use solution to enhance land efficiency. This study presents one of the first agrivoltaic demonstrations in Bangladesh that evaluates the agronomic, economic, and socio-social feasibility of agrivoltaics through a field-based comparative experiment conducted at two solar irrigation pump (SIP) sites in Tetulia, Panchagarh district. A controlled plot design was employed in which selected crops were cultivated under PV panels and in adjacent open-field control plots across two growing seasons (Rabi/winter and Kharif-I/summer). Crop yields were quantitatively measured and compared, and extrapolation analysis was performed to estimate national-scale production potential across approximately 45 ha of existing SIP-covered land. In addition, qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) to assess farmer perceptions and gender dimensions. Results indicate that seven Rabi crops, including tomato, onion, and garlic, experienced yield reductions of 10%-20% under shaded conditions, whereas shade-tolerant ginger and turmeric cultivated in Kharif-I recorded yield increases of 12.3% and 8.7%, respectively. Scaling the pilot findings (0.01 ha) suggests potential seasonal production of nearly 594 t of ginger and turmeric nationwide (45 ha), corresponding to an estimated economic value of approximately US$0.56 million. Qualitative findings revealed strong farmer interest in high-value crop cultivation under PV panels and indicated enhanced women's participation in crop management, post-harvest activities, and contributing to household income diversification. The study demonstrates that agrivoltaics can serve as a climate-smart approach to optimize land use, strengthen food security, and promote renewable energy adoption while creating opportunities for gender-inclusive agricultural practices in rural Bangladesh.