Bangladesh is not the first South Asian country to produce crops under solar-power plants.

Nasrul Hamid, Bangladesh’s State Minister for Electricity, Energy, and Mineral Resources, took to his verified Facebook page to announce a significant milestone in the country’s renewable energy sector. He stated that a commercial solar power plant in Bangladesh had successfully initiated agricultural production, marking a first in South Asia. However, according to Dismislab agricultural production had already begun in commercial solar power facilities in India prior to Bangladesh’s announcement.

The excerpt from the state minister’s Facebook post highlighted Bangladesh’s achievement, stating, “Bangladesh is the first in South Asia to successfully start agricultural production under commercial solar power plants. Last November, I reported about the growing of pumpkin seedlings from pumpkin seeds under the Sirajganj 7.6 MW grid-connected power plant of Northwest Power Generation Company. Now I am happy to report that there are pumpkins in it.”

The Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources also shared the information on its official Facebook page. However, further investigation reveals evidence of prior instances of solar-powered agricultural production in India.

In India, a report titled “Agrivoltaics in India,” published in 2021, reveals the existence of at least 16 agrivoltaic projects in the country. However, Bangladesh is also actively pursuing the implementation of agricultural production in solar power plants.

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