Power the Harvest Conference
The Harvest Room
A living library of knowledge about Black farming worldwide, agrivoltaics, solar energy, and the fight to protect Black land, from the American South to Sub-Saharan Africa to the Caribbean.
Partners and supporters
StAR ConsultingStrategic Advisory
USDAU.S. Dept. of Agriculture
NRCSNatural Resources Conservation
U.S. Dept. of EnergyClean Energy Innovation
NRELTransforming Energy
American Farmland TrustProtecting Farmland- Black Sustainability Inc.Environmental Justice
- OkovateClean Energy Solutions
- MidflareAgricultural Innovation
- Soul Fire FarmAfro-Indigenous Agriculture
Black Farming Worldwide
- United States
- 45,000+United StatesBlack-operated farms today, down from 1 million in 1920
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- 60%Sub-Saharan AfricaOf the world's uncultivated arable land is in Africa
- Caribbean
- 2M+CaribbeanSmall-scale farmers across the Caribbean islands
- Brazil
- 5MBrazilQuilombola and Afro-Brazilian farmers practicing traditional agriculture
Watch & Learn
Curated videos covering Black farming history, agrivoltaics, solar leasing, global agriculture, and the worldwide movement to protect Black land.
Showing 19 of 19 videos
- United StatesLand & HeritageVox
How Black Americans Were Robbed of Their Land
Over the 20th century, Black Americans lost approximately 12 million acres of land. This documentary examines the mass land dispossession that reshaped Black wealth in America.
- Land Loss
- History
- USA
- United StatesLand & HeritageDocumentary
Gaining Ground: The Fight for Black Land
In the past century, Black farmers have lost 14 million acres of agricultural land, $326 billion extracted from Black communities. This film follows those fighting to reclaim it.
- Land Rights
- Documentary
- USA
- United StatesBlack Farming USAPBS Trail of History
The Legacy of African American Farmers
Despite the legacy of slavery and systemic discrimination, African American farmers have persevered and made extraordinary contributions to American agriculture.
- History
- Heritage
- USA
- United StatesBlack Farming USANews
Black Farmers Celebrate Historic $2 Billion USDA Payout
A landmark $2 billion payout by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to farmers who experienced decades of systemic discrimination, a turning point in the fight for equity.
- USDA
- Justice
- Policy
- United StatesBlack Farming USANews
Pigford Case: African American Farmers Still Face Challenges
The Pigford case led to more than $2 billion being paid to African American farmers denied agriculture loans. But the struggle for equity in farming continues.
- Pigford
- USDA
- Discrimination
- United StatesBlack Farming USAStone Barns Center
Farming While Black: African Diasporic Wisdom
Author and farmer Leah Penniman discusses the movement for food sovereignty, Afro-indigenous farming practices, and building a food system rooted in justice and dignity.
- Food Sovereignty
- Leah Penniman
- Culture
- GlobalGlobal Black FarmingOxford Real Farming Conference
Farming While Black: African Diasporic Wisdom (ORFC)
Black farmers experience discrimination and marginalisation worldwide. This talk explores how to restore Afro-indigenous farming practices and build global food justice.
- Global
- Food Justice
- Diaspora
- AfricaGlobal Black FarmingDocumentary
How African Farmers Transform 2 Billion Acres of Harsh Land
From giant cattle ranches and endless grain fields to cacao plantations, this documentary explores the incredible scale and ingenuity of African farming across the continent.
- Africa
- Scale
- Innovation
- AfricaWomen in AgeNCA
Empowering Black Female Farmers
The Women-In-Maize program empowers female maize farming cooperatives across Africa, demonstrating how women are leading the transformation of Black agriculture worldwide.
- Women
- Africa
- Empowerment
- AfricaGlobal Black FarmingAfrican Regenerative Frontrunners
The Truth About Regenerative Farming in Africa
Dr. Kofi Boa discusses how regenerative agriculture is transforming African farming by restoring soil health, increasing yields, and building climate resilience across the continent.
- Regenerative
- Africa
- Soil Health
- United StatesAgrivoltaicsPBS NewsHour
A Brief But Spectacular Take on Agrivoltaics
Byron Kominek returned to his family's Colorado farm with a bold idea: grow crops and harvest solar energy at the same time. A powerful demonstration of agrivoltaics in practice.
- Agrivoltaics
- Solar
- Farming
- United StatesAgrivoltaicsResearch
Investigating Solar Energy and Agriculture: Agrivoltaics
A deep dive into what agrivoltaics is, why agricultural land is an attractive target for solar development, and the challenges and opportunities for farmers and landowners.
- Agrivoltaics
- Research
- Policy
- AfricaAgrivoltaicsReuters
South African Farmers Adopt Agrivoltaics
Farmers in South Africa are increasingly combining solar power with food production as energy shortages persist, a real-world model for agrivoltaics on the African continent.
- South Africa
- Agrivoltaics
- Energy
- United StatesAgrivoltaicsResearch
Agrivoltaics: Solar Farm to Table
A field study partnership between Jack's Solar Farm and Sprout City Farms exploring the microclimates created by solar panels and their effects on crop production beneath them.
- Research
- Crops
- Solar Panels
- United StatesSolar LeasingAmerican Farmland Trust
Solar Leasing Your Farmland
An essential overview of the opportunities and risks from leasing farmland to solar developers, and what every rural landowner needs to know before signing a long-term solar lease.
- Solar Lease
- Landowners
- Risk
- United StatesSolar LeasingAmerican Farmland Trust
Solar Leasing Workshop for Agricultural Landowners
An overview of AFT's Solar Leasing Guide for Agricultural Landowners, covering what to look for in a lease, how to evaluate offers, and how to protect your land long-term.
- Workshop
- Guide
- Landowners
- United StatesSolar LeasingSolar Authority
How to Lease Your Land for Solar Farms: Passive Income Per Acre
Landowners are turning 30+ acres of raw land into steady income streams by partnering with solar developers. Learn how the process works and what to expect per acre.
- Income
- Solar Farm
- Land Lease
- AfricaGlobal Black FarmingDocumentary
Africa's Mega Farms: Why Solar Is Taking Over
Solar energy is stepping in across Africa's mega farms, not as an alternative, but as a necessity. How the continent is leading a solar agriculture revolution.
- Africa
- Solar
- Mega Farms
- AfricaGlobal Black FarmingNHK World
Solar Energy: A Transformative Force in Africa
Solar energy is transforming Africa, leading the way towards sustainable development and energy independence, with farming communities at the center of this transition.
- Africa
- Solar
- Sustainability
Articles & Reports
Essential reading from trusted sources, covering solar leasing, agrivoltaics research, Black land history, and the global movement for food sovereignty.
- Civil EatsMicro Solar Leases: A New Income Stream for Black Farmers in the SouthEnerWealth Solutions is bringing the benefits of renewable energy to Black farmers and landowners in the Carolinas through innovative micro solar lease structures.Read Article
- U.S. Department of EnergyThe Potential of Agrivoltaics for the U.S. Solar Industry, Farmers, and CommunitiesAdding farming to existing solar energy sites is being explored as an approach to increase access to land for historically disadvantaged groups, including Black farmers.Read Article
- NAACP Legal Defense FundBlack Farmers FAQ: Addressing Systemic DiscriminationA comprehensive overview of the systemic discrimination Black farmers face from public and private institutions like the USDA, and the barriers to economic mobility they continue to navigate.Read Article
- PBS NewsHourGaining Ground: The Fight for Black LandA documentary exploring how Black farmers lost 14 million acres of land over the past century, its lasting effect on Black families, and the grassroots efforts to reclaim it.Read Article
- IRENA Coalition for ActionSolar-Powered Agri-Food Systems: Seven Success StoriesSeven real-world success stories showing how integrating solar photovoltaics with agriculture contributes to climate resilience, food security, and nature-positive outcomes globally.Read Article
- One EarthCSAs and Regenerative Agriculture's Ties to Black HistoryHow regenerative agriculture and community-supported agriculture movements are deeply rooted in the work of Black agricultural pioneers like Dr. Booker T. Whatley.Read Article
Bring This Knowledge to the Conference
The Harvest Room is just the beginning. At the Power the Harvest Conference, you'll hear directly from Black solar developers, farmers, and landowners who are living these stories.