Along with Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, there’s a need to realize the potential of utilizing technologies and other natural resources for making Indian agriculture clean and sustainable. The need of the hour is to have an appropriate policy environment to promote multiple uses of crop residues in the context of conservation agriculture and to prevent their on-farm burning.

India is an agrarian economy. A vast  majority of land  is used for  farming and  a wide  range  of crops  are  cultivated in  its different agro-ecological regions. With  a  production of  93.9 million  tons  (Mt) of wheat, 104.6 Mt of rice, 21.6 Mt of maize, 20.7 Mt of millets,  357.7 Mt of sugarcane, 8.1 Mt of fibre crops (jute, mesta,  cotton),  17.2 Mt of pulses  and  30.0 Mt of oilseeds crops,  in the  year  2011-12 (MoA,  2012), it is but  natural that a huge  volume of crop  residues are  produced both  on-farm and  off-farm.  It is estimated that approximately 500-550 Mt of crop residues are produced per year in the country. A recent report of WWF says that agricultural residues could constitute more than 25% of the total amount of primary energy from all residues used in 2050. These crop residues are also used for animal feeding, soil mulching, bio- manure making, thatching for rural   homes   and   fuel for domestic and industrial use.  Thus crop residues are of tremendous value to the economy.

However, a large portion of the residues is burnt on-farm primarily to clear the field for sowing of the succeeding crop. And subsequently, burning residues becomes a major source of pollution in India.

A research done by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology  (IITM) and National Centre for Atmospheric Research in the US says that, “Vehicles, air conditioners and industries may be the usual suspects contributing to the rise in pollution levels across the country, but the practice of biomass burning is an equal threat, if not bigger!” Burning of agricultural produce leftovers and forests during the major harvesting period contributes up to 60% release of toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide in the eastern region, including Myanmar, 50% in central India, 25% in the Indo-Gangetic region and 40% over the Bay of Bengal. These gases are a precursor to another harmful gas, ozone (O3), which was found to be adversely affecting the country's crops and contributing to global warming.

According to images released by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the smog and hazy weather in northern India, especially over Delhi and the National Capital Region, is largely due to agricultural fires in some northern and northwestern states.

In this scenario, we should take necessary measures to save our environment. Immediate steps should be taken with a no to residue burning and with encouragement of using new and innovative techniques for agriculture residue utilization.

With the adoption of advanced agriculture-based technologies these residues can instead be used for improving soil health, increasing crop productivity, reducing pollution and enhancing sustainability and resilience of agriculture. There are many examples of resource conserving technologies (RCTs) involving no  or minimum tillage, bed planting and crop diversification with innovations in residues management like leaving them on the top soil as a protective layer that can act as possible alternatives to the conventional energy and input-intensive agriculture.

 

The farmer plays the main part in the field, and so does in the burning process of residues. Many of them do this with the belief that the fire and smoke would kill the pests. Sadly, that’s not true. Farmers should be encouraged and educated to use integrated pest management which help them produce high yields using smaller amounts of crop protection products. By highlighting the negative effects of burning residues, experts should create awareness among farmers on using and adapting of new and alternative technologies.