Clearing the fog on stubble burning
This article is authored by Ramnath Vaidyanathan, AVP and head of environmental sustainability, Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies.
Punjab has been in the news of late for, among other things, the issue of stubble burning after harvesting. A combination of a third harvesting cycle coinciding with a thick winter fog has led to one of the biggest environmental and health challenges in India today. The issue has become political too. Not only has it been one of the critical points of discussion in Parliament, but the Punjab chief secretary has now raised stakes by ambitiously announcing that the state will reduce the stubble burning instances by 50% in comparison to 2022.
The government is also imposing penalties and regulations which unfortunately are difficult to implement and have a negligible impact. However, a spate of recent projects collecting and converting agri residue to biomass to be used as fuel, has shown immense potential to not just solve the problem of crop burning but to create a brand new ecosystem and a parallel economy of waste to wealth.
After the kharif harvest of rice, farmers in the northern belt burn the residue left behind to reduce the turnaround time for the preparation of the upcoming rabi sowing season of wheat. Approximately 5,00,000 kg of stubble is generated each year in India. A one-kilo bale of paddy straw is sold on average for only ₹8. The economics of baling and selling is so low that it’s cheaper to burn a quarter of the stubble immediately after harvest. This is problematic on many levels. Apart from the obvious and immediate impact on soil fertility, stubble burning also releases harmful, toxic gases and particulates into the air, causing air pollution and poor air quality in the neighbouring region. Most important, if not most obviously, burning stubble is a loss of the immense potential it has as a biomass fuel.
In 2015, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had banned crop residue burning in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab. Burning crop residue is a penal crime under the Air and Pollution Control Act, 1981. Despite this, stubble burning continues. In Punjab alone, 20 metric tonnes (MT) of rice stubble is produced every year, 80% of which is burned. Penalising farmers who are already working on small incomes is not the solution.
The government has promoted technology like the Pusa decomposer and Happy seeder, which help farmers manage and convert crop residue without burning it.
However, these are predominantly in situ methods. It would be pragmatic to also venture into ex-situ crop residue management (CRM) methods. It is also where the corporate sector can work alongside the government to absorb and procure the crop residue for further processing. Based on the principles of circularity, this approach fosters innovation, industrial growth and a potential employment market.
Instead of burning of the stubble, it can be utilised to yield economically and environmentally valuable materials like compost, biochar, alternative fuels for industry - the options are limitless. However, most farmers are unaware of the options for repurposing the stubble and the economic value it holds. This necessitates that the government and civic groups work closely with the farmers to educate and train them to reuse the stubble.
A start-up in Thailand is converting paddy/wheat straw into bio degradable containers, food packaging plates and bowls. An Indian start-up is converting stubble to fibre to avoid farmers burning it. Similar such initiatives and solutions that are ecologically and economically viable need to be promoted.
The combine harvesters currently in use leave behind several feet long chaff which is then burned down. It is pertinent that alternative methods of harvesting are tested that do not leave behind feet long stacks of straw. Dealing with stubble in innovative ways can reap economic benefits for the farmers and the state.
Our teams leading corporate social responsibility at Godrej initiated a pilot crop residue management project with a mandate to reduce stubble burning with its negative impact on air pollution levels in the National Capital Region. As of this year, stubble burning across 2549.68 hectares of farmland was avoided covering 15 villages reaching 3,956 farmer families. The agriculture department has emerged as a key stakeholder in implementing the project at district and block level. This has been possible through continuous farmer mobilisation and engagement, and it is evident that with the right support, farmers are ready to do their bit to contribute.
This article is authored by Ramnath Vaidyanathan, AVP and head of environmental sustainability, Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies.