The state’s new solar incentive includes an additional payment for projects that coexist with agricultural uses.

A solar incentive launched this week in Massachusetts is the state’s latest effort to make it easier for farmers to adopt renewables and become more energy efficient.

“We’re getting farmers as much help as they can on a topic they don’t have a lot of time to invest in,” said Gerald Palano, alternative energy specialist for the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. “The more we can do to keep agriculture alive and well in the state, in the end is better off for all of us.”

Agriculture makes up a small portion of Massachusetts’ economy; the sector took in less than $500 million in 2016 while the state’s gross domestic product topped $500 billion. But farms are still an important target for efforts to reduce energy use, Palano said.

Creating a robust network of smaller, renewable power generators — a concept known as distributed energy — is essential to creating a more sustainable, resilient grid, Palano said. Farms, with their sizable, unshaded lots, are a key player in that future.