In Punjab, Pakistan’s agricultural heartland, farmers are increasingly turning to solar-powered tube wells as a cheaper and more reliable alternative to diesel and grid electricity. The shift has fueled a surge in water-hungry crops like rice, with cultivation expanding by nearly 30% since 2023, while maize acreage has dropped about 10%. Experts estimate that around 650,000 solar tube wells are now operating nationwide, most installed within the last two years, dramatically altering irrigation patterns.
But the trend is worsening Pakistan’s looming water crisis. Provincial data show that by 2024, about 6.6% of Punjab had groundwater levels deeper than 60 feet, a critical threshold, while areas where levels sank past 80 feet more than doubled since 2020. Officials insist farming acreage hasn’t grown and only the power source has shifted, yet farmer testimonies and water-authority records point to heavier irrigation and more rice planting—practices that risk driving groundwater depletion to unsustainable levels unless stricter controls are introduced. More