Agrivoltaics as a Sustainable Strategy to Enhance Food Security Under Water Scarcity

Agrivoltaic offers a promising solution to integrate photovoltaic energy production with ongoing agricultural activities. This research investigates the impact of agrivoltaic on food security, using a transdisciplinary approach to study the responses of crop production in terms of biomass and food quality produced. Mainly chicory plants were grown in full sunlight (control plot) and shade plots generated by potential photovoltaic panels. Two water regimes (high and low water supply) were used to analyze variations in food security in both plots. The results showed that agrivoltaic systems effectively mitigate crop water stress caused by high temperatures and heat waves, improving food security by increasing biomass production and preserving food quality. While previous research has attributed the benefits of agrivoltaics primarily to improved soil moisture, this study demonstrates that the positive effects are primarily driven by differences in light intensity and air temperature between the shaded and control plots. The results have strong implications for water resource management, showing that agrivoltaics can reduce water use by approximately 50% compared to traditional agroecosystems without compromising food security. Agrivoltaics can address the challenges of water scarcity due to declining rainfall and reduce production costs associated with water use. Properly designed agrivoltaic systems offer a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to traditional agricultural practices, helping to adapt agriculture to climate change.