Pune: The 65-acre BAIF Rural Innovation Centre in Uruli Kanchan, touted as India’s first integrated, multi-model agrivoltaics demonstration project, is exploring how land can serve a dual purpose — growing crops while generating solar power.The centre is testing 17 types of solar panel systems across 30 crops, alongside experiments with more than 150 varieties of cactus that can be processed into food, fuel, fodder, fertiliser and even fashion products. It is also training farmers and ITI graduates to use technology in agriculture.Set up on undulating, degraded land that receives barely 600mm of rain annually, the centre is exploring ways to make marginal land more productive while providing farmers with an additional source of income. The BAIF Development Research Foundation in Uruli Kanchan, founded by social activist Manibhai Desai in 1967 on Gandhian principles of rural development, celebrated its 60th Foundation Day on Monday.“Instead of typical ground-mounted panels, this project showcases rooftop, vertical, polyhouse-integrated, elevated panels up to four metres high to allow tractor movement and floating solar panels on water bodies. The total power generation capacity across two hectares is around 750 kilowatts,” said Vitthal Kauthale, chief thematic programme executive (Farm Research & Seed Programme) at BAIF.The solar panels were installed over the past one-and-a-half years, and researchers said the final report will be published by March 2027.“We have already seen almost three crop cycles. Now we are repeating the experiments to see if the initial results are consistent,” Kauthale said.The farm is completely off-grid but also supplies electricity to more than 70 electric light poles in the nearby village. The experiments extend beyond solar power, with the farm being 100% chemical-free and residue-free and relying on organic inputs.The results have varied across crops. Brinjal grown in the shade of solar panels retained up to 80%-85% of its yield in preliminary results, while leafy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce and coriander recorded yields of more than 100%, performing better under the panels than in open conditions.Researchers said the panels acted as a shield for some crops against erratic rainfall and scorching summer heat, while others required a different approach.One of the most notable projects at the centre is its experiment with cactus, particularly more than 100 varieties of spineless cactus.“Spineless cactus is a xerophyte with exceptional carbon sequestration potential that thrives in the poorest soils. We are training farmers to use it as food, fodder and fuel, as it performs as well as cow dung cakes, and also for fertiliser and converting it into vegan leather. We probably have India’s first vegan bio-leather production unit at our old campus, successfully manufacturing high-value products such as laptop bags, wallets, belts and jackets from cactus,” said Kailas Gavhane, in-charge of BRIC.Once the study is completed in March 2027, BAIF plans to submit policy recommendations to the Govt of India.Bharat Kakade, president and managing trustee of BAIF, said the organisation has now expanded to 18 states and reached 50 lakh people in 2025-26. “We aim to reach and help one crore families by 2030. For those whose annual income is Rs 1.65 lakh at present, we aim to increase it to Rs 5 lakh by 2030 and Rs 10 lakh by 2047,” Kakade said.The Foundation Day programme also saw awards presented to various village-level groups and individuals working with BAIF.The programme was attended by additional commissioner of the animal husbandry department Shitalkumar Mukane, head of sustainability and CSR at ACG Sunil Kumar, BAIF chairperson Hrishikesh Maftalal and others.