Solar-Powered Irrigation and Its Socioeconomic Impact on Smallholder Farmers in Arid Zones of Rajasthan

Solar-powered irrigation (SPI) presents a dual opportunity for climate adaptation and poverty reduction in water-scarce regions, yet its socioeconomic impacts remain uneven. This study evaluates SPI adoption across 320 smallholder farms in Rajasthan’s arid zones through household surveys, hydrological monitoring, and cost-benefit analysis. Results indicate SPI adopters achieved 27% higher crop yields and 34% lower irrigation costs compared to diesel users. However, economic viability is highly scale-dependent: systems become cost-effective only beyond 875 operational hours/year, excluding 73% of marginal farmers (<2 acres) due to high capital costs (₹2.1–5.8 lakh). Unregulated SPI use intensified groundwater depletion (4.2 m/year decline in SPI clusters), while grid-dependent farmers faced 41% income loss during power cuts. The study proposes a bundled policy approach—tiered subsidies, SPI-drip integration, and community solar grids—to enhance equity and resource sustainability.