Nepal: Transforming Lives with Agrovoltaic Farming
January 22, 2025

Agrovoltaic system integrates solar panels, symbolizing the village’s journey toward sustainability.
In Nepal, UNDP has supported the piloting of an innovative agrovoltaic farming system, bringing clean drinking water, reliable electricity, irrigation, and enhanced healthcare facilities to residents in the small village of Tinghare. This state-of-the-art solution combines solar energy with agriculture to tackle interlinked issues of water, energy, and food security.
A few years ago, life in Tinghare, a village in Southern Nepal's Sarlahi district, was a constant struggle. Residents endured a severe drinking water crisis, frequent power outages, and recurring crop failures due to prolonged droughts. Despite being located near a major highway, Tinghare’s proximity offered little relief.

Students of Shree Secondary School interact with Mr. Vijay Singh, Assistant Resident Representative, UNDP Nepal
Students, unable to access reliable electricity, missed opportunities for computer and digital literacy classes, while contaminated water jeopardized the health of the community. Agriculture, the primary livelihood for most villagers, suffered due to unreliable irrigation and soil degradation. Resolving these challenges required innovative solutions and significant resources—resources that neither the community nor the local government, could afford.
“The situation was so hopeless that many locals were considering out-migration,” said Ganesh Thapa, Chief, Ward No. 16 Lalbandi Municipality and Chairperson of Tinghare Akikrit Gramin Bikash Khanepani Upabhokta Samiti.

A solar panel installed by UNDP.
Scaling up Integrated Renewable Energy Solutions
Amid worsening conditions, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) stepped in to offer critical support. Following comprehensive on-site assessments and consultations with technical and development experts, UNDP Nepal implemented a pilot solar power based integrated drinking water and agrovoltaic farming system—cultivation under the solar arrays for the first time in Nepal.
The project, centers around a 40-kilowatt (peak) solar power plant, powers an integrated system designed to uplift livelihoods. Solar energy is used to operate a pump to lift water to overhead tank and water filter system that supplies drinking water to over 450 households, and support an irrigation network, all while generating electricity for local facilities such as school education and birthing center.
“This is one of our projects that directly connects with people’s livelihoods,” said Vijay Singh, Assistant Resident Representative at UNDP Nepal. “The system provides clean drinking water to over 450 households while supplying electricity to a local school and a birthing center, ensuring year-round services.”

Solar-powered pumps lifting clean water to overhead tank ensure consistent irrigation and drinking water for the community.
A Village Transformed
The agrovoltaic system has become the backbone of Tinghare’s revitalization. Solar-powered pumps now draw water from a sump well to reservoirs and overhead tanks. The system is even designed to disperse fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides. Beneath the 74 solar panels installed near the well, once-abandoned farmland is flourishing with seasonal vegetables, fruits, and flowers.
The initiative, launched in November 2022 and completed by March 2023, was a collaborative effort involving Lalbandi Municipality, the Alternative Energy Promotion Center and UNDP with financial support of the Government of Japan. Villagers contributed labor as part of their 10 percent share of the project’s cost, demonstrating their commitment to the transformative endeavor.

A woman refreshes herself with clean water from a newly installed tap--a testament to improved access to clean and safe water in her community.
Empowering Education and Healthcare
The solar energy generated by the project is also empowering education and healthcare in Tinghare.
Shree Secondary School now benefits from uninterrupted electricity. Previously, power outages disrupted classes, but today, the school’s computers, ceiling fans, and other equipment run seamlessly, enhancing the quality of education.

The village’s birthing center, now equipped with reliable electricity, provides improved maternal and emergency care.
The village’s birthing center has also seen remarkable improvements. Health workers who once relied on torchlights during deliveries now have access to round-the-clock electricity. Vaccination facilities have been upgraded, ensuring proper storage for vaccines like BCG, tetanus, polio, and diphtheria.
The health post in nearby Pariwanipur, also powered by solar energy, has established its own vaccine storage, eliminating reliance on distant hospitals. “We had to use torchlights for patient care because of unreliable electricity,” said Hirdesh Kumar Yadav, the in-charge of Pariwanipur’s health office. “Now, with uninterrupted power supply, we can even handle complicated cases with confidence.”

Tinghare stands as a symbol of sustainable development, inspiring neighboring communities with its resilience and innovation.
A Model for Sustainability
The success of Tinghare’s agrovoltaic project has sparked new initiatives. Under the solar panels, locals have planted 500 lemon saplings and are exploring dragon fruit cultivation to access high-value markets. Students from Shree Secondary School are actively tending to the saplings, gaining hands-on agricultural experience and developing practical skills for their future.
Ganesh Thapa reflects on the village’s journey: “We not only survived but now have hope for a thriving future. This project showcases how sustainable practices can transform lives, providing a model for other communities across the country.”

"I hope that this project will enhance the quality of life and provide sustainable access to clean drinking water," said Mr. Takahiro Tamura, Charge d’Affaires ad interim of Japan to Nepal during the project handover to the local community.
The Japan Supplementary Budget-funded project Leveraging NDCs to Achieve Net-zero Emissions and Climate Resilient Development in Response to the Climate Emergency, focuses on improving residents’ access to modern energy services. This is achieved through initiatives such as solar energy solutions, electricity generation via micro hydropower plants (MHPs), agroforestry, and waste management.
The project supported the construction of seven solar-powered drinking water systems with a total capacity of 157 kWp, benefiting 10,900 people in Sarlahi and Siraha districts of Madhesh Province. Additionally, it installed 29 kWp of solar power backup systems across 11 health facilities, including birthing centers, which serve a population of 41,676 people, including 20,142 women. Solar power backups were also provided to two schools, enhancing the learning experience for 950 students.
One notable initiative under this project, valued at USD 198,781.86, was implemented in Sarlahi district. This intervention in Lalbandi municipality has positively impacted 52,576 residents by providing clean drinking water, reliable electricity, irrigation support, and enhanced healthcare services through innovative agrovoltaic technology. Despite being costly and requiring specialized technical expertise, the project's success demonstrates its potential for replication in similar contexts.
UNDP’s current energy work focuses on upscaling renewable energy solutions, such as solar water-lifting systems, cold storage facilities, and support for improved agrifood systems, alongside promoting the productive end use of energy.