Reimagining the farmer as an energy producer in India’s biofuel and solar push

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, outlined a radical transformation for India’s agricultural sector, stating that Indian farmers will soon transition from being solely ‘Annadata’ (food givers) to ‘Urjadata’ (energy givers), during a recent episode of Series C, a podcast by Masters’ Union. The podcast is hosted by Pratham Mittal, Founder of Masters’ Union and Tetr College of Business, and a judge on Shark Tank India.

Highlighting the potential of the ‘Waste to Wealth’ economy, Nitin Gadkari said, “Our farmer will now become an energy giver (Urjadata). He will make bitumen, bio-bitumen, ethanol, Bio-CNG, and electricity.” He emphasized that this shift is essential to making India energy-independent while revitalizing the rural economy.

Gadkari cited specific examples of how agricultural waste is being converted into high-value energy resources. He mentioned the facility in Panipat, which is utilizing rice straw (parali) to produce 1 lakh litres of ethanol and 150 tons of bio-bitumen daily, along with 78,000 tons of sustainable aviation fuel annually.

“No material is waste and no person is waste. It depends upon appropriate technology and appropriate vision of leadership to convert waste into wealth,” he stated.

Nitin Gadkari also detailed a vision for decentralized solar power in agriculture. He spoke about a new initiative where farmers can install solar panels in their fields to power EV charging stations. “He will sell electricity cheaper than the market rate and still the farmer will get money,” the Minister explained.

Linking this agricultural shift to the national economy, the Union Minister reiterated that India currently incurs a massive fuel import bill of Rs. 22 lakh crore annually. He argued that by transitioning to alternative biofuels, this capital could be redirected to the rural, agricultural, and tribal sectors, helping create “smart villages” rather than just smart cities.

The full episode of Series C is available on Masters’ Union’s official digital platforms. Series C is Masters’ Union’s podcast series featuring conversations with leaders across public life and industry, hosted by Pratham Mittal, where students engage speakers on real-world leadership, decision-making, and the trade-offs that shape outcomes. Other eminent personalities who appeared on this podcast are Ronnie Screwvala, co-founder Upgrad; Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs of India; Shiv Shivakumar, former Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, etc.