Delhi’s winter air pollution crisis has been a perennial challenge, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) peaking at alarming levels year after year. In mid-November this year, the city’s air pollution reached an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 495—a stark reminder of the pressing need for sustainable solutions to the issue of crop residue burning in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana. Despite numerous interventions, the issue persists, demanding a more innovative and inclusive approach.
The roots of the problem can be traced back to 2009; the Preservation of Subsoil Water Act marked a significant step toward groundwater conservation, mandating a delay in rice sowing to align with monsoon rains. While this reduced irrigation dependency, it inadvertently exacerbated air pollution. The shorter window between rice harvest and wheat sowing leaves farmers with few options but to burn paddy straw to prepare their fields. This practice significantly contributes to the toxic smog enveloping Delhi and the surrounding regions during October and November.
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Technological fixes: Where’s the problem?
The introduction of machines like the Happy Seeder and Super Seeder, alongside government subsidies, was aimed at providing alternatives to burning. Yet, uptake remains limited due to high costs, escalating fuel prices, requirements of higher-value machinery, and inefficacy. Farmers have voiced concerns over the unreliability of these technologies, and in many cases, their crop yields have suffered due to improper seed depth during sowing. The super seeder’s inefficiency has earned it the epithet “flop seeder” among frustrated farmers.
Short-duration rice varieties, though touted as eco-friendly, also fall short. Farmers claim these varieties require precise climatic conditions for optimal yield, fail to significantly reduce the time crunch between crops and reduce the production of straw only marginally. Other solutions, like microbial decomposition of stubble, using paddy straw to paper and cardboard factories and biomass power plants, and other ex-situ stubble management ideas, face logistical and environmental barriers, making them an untenable option for farmers for widespread use. Removing stubble from the fields exacerbates the decline in organic matter, which retains moisture and nutrients in the soil, leading to a deterioration in soil health in the long run.
According to Dr Manpreet Singh Bhatti, Professor at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, and an expert in the subject, over 80 per cent of farmers in India are small and marginal, and they lack the financial capacity to invest in farm equipment for crop residue management. Hence, technological solutions may be neither feasible nor practical for these farmers. He suggests that short-duration crop varieties, which mature earlier, could provide farmers with a longer window to prepare their fields for the next crop cycle. Short-duration rice varieties are eco-friendly, require less water and pesticides, and have lower straw loads. However, their effectiveness is highly dependent on the timing of sowing and transplantation, which are closely tied to rainfall patterns. With climate change causing delays in seasons and making rainfall increasingly unpredictable, the success of alternative seed varieties is also not guaranteed.
Towards sustainable solutions
The key to addressing this crisis lies in shifting from temporary fixes to sustainable practices. Field trials of technologies are necessary to understand on-ground trade-offs and financial and logistical constraints of farmers. Co-designed interventions with farmers could improve their acceptance among the community. In the medium and long term, breaking the wheat-rice monoculture and diversifying cropping systems—such as cultivating cereals, millets, and other water-efficient crops—offers a viable solution.
Organizations like Kheti Virasat Mission (KVM) working on ground in Punjab and Haryana advocate for a holistic approach, transforming farmers’ perceptions and practices. Farmers often resort to residue burning in the absence of viable alternatives. KVM has achieved complete elimination of stubble burning by educating farmers on the negative impacts of burning on land productivity and offering sustainable, cost-effective alternatives that enhance soil health, environmental sustainability, and nutritional security. Instead of burning, they encourage farmers to retain crop residue and directly sow wheat seeds into it. This zero-tillage technique is gaining traction as it conserves soil, retains water, and absorbs and supplies nutrients to the plants while effectively managing weeds. It offers economic benefits by eliminating the need for costly machinery and high-powered tractors.
Changing the narrative: Farmers as partners
Rather than blaming farmers or imposing punitive measures, a collaborative approach is essential. Policymakers, researchers and civil society must work with farmers to co-design solutions that are practical, cost-effective, and context-specific. Lasting change requires addressing the psychological and cultural factors influencing farming decisions. Cultivating a deeper relationship between farmers and the land, making them aware of how their practices impact not only soil health and crop yield, dispelling myths about alternative technologies, and demonstrating their long-term benefits can go a long way.
The fight against crop residue burning is not just an agricultural issue; it is a public health imperative. By prioritising sustainable practices, fostering farmer-led innovation, and investing in scalable solutions, we can turn the tide on Delhi’s air pollution.
The writer is research lead, Climate Trends
