Telangana promotes sustainable farming through crop diversification

<p>HYDERABAD: Telangana is pushing crop diversification, micro irrigation and farm solarisation to reduce water use and electricity consumption in agriculture, Agriculture Department Director Dr B. Gopi, IAS, said on Wednesday. Speaking at the India Energy Summit & Expo 2026 in Hyderabad, Gopi said crop choices directly affect irrigation needs and, consequently, farm power consumption. He [...]<content:encoded><![CDATA[<strong>HYDERABAD:</strong> Telangana is pushing crop diversification, micro irrigation and farm solarisation to reduce water use and electricity consumption in agriculture, Agriculture Department Director Dr B. Gopi, IAS, said on Wednesday. Speaking at the India <a href="https://x.com/IPRTelangana/status/2090048549987790874?s=20">Energy Summit</a> & Expo 2026 in Hyderabad, Gopi said crop choices directly affect irrigation needs and, consequently, farm power consumption. He said the state is promoting pulses, oilseeds, vegetables and oil palm as alternatives to water-intensive crops. The focus is on crops that use less water and offer better returns to farmers. <h3>Cultivated area rises 70%</h3> Telangana’s cultivated area has grown from about 1.31 crore acres in 2014 to nearly 2.2 crore acres now, an increase of around 70%, Gopi said. The area under paddy has also more than tripled during the period. The rise has increased pressure on both water resources and agricultural power. The Agriculture Department is therefore creating awareness about low-water crops such as black gram and green gram, along with vegetables and oil palm. <h3>Micro irrigation to cut power demand</h3> Gopi said wider use of micro irrigation, especially in horticulture, can significantly reduce water consumption. Lower water use also means less electricity is needed to lift and pump irrigation water. He said farmers are showing strong interest in adopting micro irrigation systems. <h3>Farmers can become power producers</h3> Gopi called for faster adoption of solarisation in agriculture. “Farmers should not remain merely electricity consumers. They should become electricity producers in the future,” he said. He suggested government support for capital investment and farmer-friendly policies to make farm solarisation viable. <h3>FPOs can drive farm solarisation</h3> Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) can play a key role in solarisation, Gopi said. He suggested developing cluster-level plans where FPOs help farmers generate their own power while also reducing water and electricity consumption. Gopi said combining crop diversification, micro irrigation, solarisation and FPO participation can reduce farm power costs, improve resource efficiency and create additional income opportunities for farmers. ]]>