What is it?
- Stubble burning is the purposeful setting of crop residue (stubble) on fire in fields following the harvest of crops including sugarcane, wheat, and rice. This practice is common in many agricultural nations, including India. A quick and economical way to prepare fields for the upcoming planting season is to burn stubble.
Impacts
- Crop residue burning produces significant volumes of particulate matter, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other air pollutants. Particularly in northern India’s post-monsoon season, this has a substantial impact on air pollution and smog, aggravating respiratory issues and degrading air quality.
- Burning snags releases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, causing climate change on a global scale.
- Soil Health: Burning crop wastes decreases the amount of organic matter in the soil and eventually worsens soil quality. Additionally, the soil’s nutrients and helpful bacteria are destroyed.
- Loss of Biodiversity: Stubble burning may contribute to the decline of beneficial insects and wildlife in addition to harming local flora and fauna due to the severe fires that result from the practice.
Measures
- Promoting PUSA decomposer – A microbial preparation developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI),When formulation is sprayed to agricultural wastes in the field, it speeds up the organic material’s natural decomposition process. This not only lessens the need for burning but also improves the soil’s structure and nutritional content, which in turn improves the health and fertility of the soil.
- Happy Seeder– The “Happy Seeder” is specialised farming equipment made to combat stubble burning and encourage sustainable farming methods, especially in areas where rice and wheat are widely farmed.
- Ban on Stubble Burning: Several states have put restrictions on the burning of Stubble during certain times, especially during the crucial post-monsoon months when the air quality tends to deteriorate.
- Policy Initiatives: The National Policy for Management of Crop Residues attempts to dissuade farmers from burning stubble and to encourage farmers to adopt sustainable crop residue management practices.
- Distribution of Farm Equipment: Farmers in some Indian states can purchase subsidized equipment like Happy Seeders, Zero Till Seeders, and Mulchers. These devices aid in burning-free agricultural residue management.