Baseline Survey on Crop Residue Management Haryana (Kaithal and Kurukshetra)

Sehgal Foundation, India

Project Under Domains: Nature-based Solutions; Sub Domains: Sustainable production systems

Sehgal Foundation initiated a project titled “Promoting Sustainable Agriculture with Effective Crop Residue Management (CRM)” in response to the annual issue of smoke engulfing India’s Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) during the months of October and November. This issue arises due to the burning of paddy stubble by farmers, particularly in the states of Haryana and Punjab. The IGP, often referred to as the ‘Food Bowl of India,’ spans across the states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. In this region, approximately 12 million hectares are dedicated to paddy-wheat crop rotation. Stubble remains in the fields after harvesting with combine harvesters, and farmers resort to burning it because manual removal is not cost-effective. However, crop burning has adverse effects on soil health, human well-being, and the environment. To tackle this issue, Sehgal Foundation is implementing a project aimed at providing sustainable solutions for crop residue management, with a primary focus on enhancing soil health and crop productivity.

Objectives

The primary objectives of the project are to promote the adoption of good agricultural practices, including sustainable management of crop residue without burning, demonstrate technologies and best practices to improve crop productivity, and build the capacities of farmers and communities at large in adopting alternatives to crop residue burning. To facilitate the promotion of good agricultural practices, an assessment of current socio-economic and environmental factors is conducted.

Approach and Methodology

The project was implemented in the districts of Kaithal and Kurukshetra. From the identified 100 villages under the project, a total of 25 villages were selected for the study, with 12 villages in Kaithal and 13 villages in Kurukshetra included. To conduct the baseline study with the stated objectives, the proposed methodology involved adopting a quantitative research approach to study farmer attitudes, behaviours, and practices related to crop residue management. Additionally, qualitative research approaches were employed for conducting interviews with custom hiring centers and factories using stubble as raw material, which are located near the villages. Some interviews were also conducted with government officials and soil testing laboratories in the district to gain insights into existing government programs, policies, and the status of soil testing samples from the covered villages.

Results

The baseline study conducted within the project ‘Promoting Sustainable Agriculture with Effective Crop Residue Management (CRM)’ served as a crucial reference point for monitoring and assessing key result level indicators. These indicators are instrumental in contributing to the enhancement of soil health and crop productivity while addressing the critical issue of paddy stubble burning. Furthermore, the study provided valuable local evidence and insights into best practices.