Innovative Solutions for Water and Energy Challenges in Agriculture: A Review of Solar-Powered Irrigation Systems

The increasing population in developing countries is putting pressure on the demand for more food production, and modernization efforts are being made in the agricultural sector. In many developing countries, rainwater is heavily relied upon for agricultural practices, but the government and regional authorities have implemented various measures to enhance the accessibility of water for agriculture throughout the year. The majority of farmers depend on groundwater as their main water source, but the increasing prices of fossil fuels and inadequate electric grids in remote areas pose challenges to traditional water pumping methods. One solution to achieving sustainable and profitable agriculture is using renewable energy sources like solar energy for water pumping, which offers advantages such as reduced pollution and no fuel costs in the long term. Developing countries have widely adopted solar pumps, but the success of this technology depends on various elements like climatic conditions, crop type, groundwater availability, government support, and the cost and availability of conventional electricity.