Stubble Burning Crisis in India: Organic Solutions for Clean Air and Healthy

Stubble burning in India is a major environmental crisis that severely impacts air quality and public health. Organic solutions, such as bio-decomposers, composting, and sustainable policy interventions, offer practical alternatives that promote cleaner air and healthier soil, while empowering farmers with eco-friendly practices.

Stubble Burning Crisis in India: Organic Solutions for Clean Air and Healthy

Stubble Burning Crisis: Overview

Stubble burning refers to setting fire to leftover crop residue, especially paddy, after harvest. This practice is common among farmers in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh due to its low cost and efficiency in field clearing. However, it has major negative consequences, contributing up to 35–40% of PM2.5 pollution in North India’s air, worsening smog and respiratory ailments in cities like Delhi. This seasonal spike drives the Air Quality Index (AQI) into hazardous ranges, endangering millions of people.

Why Farmers Burn Stubble

Systemic issues such as restrictive timelines between harvest and sowing, lack of machinery, market failures, and limited resources drive farmers to opt for stubble burning. Government policies sometimes overlook ground realities, making alternatives seem impractical for marginal farmers. Economic pressures and bureaucratic complexity have further entrenched this practice in local agriculture.

Organic Solutions: Alternatives to Burning

Bio-Decomposer Technology: Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) has pioneered bio-enzyme solutions, like the Pusa Decomposer. When sprayed over crop residue, this microbial solution breaks down straw into organic fertilizer within 20–25 days, enriching soil and reducing the need for chemical fertilisers. Recently, Haryana rolled out the free distribution of Pusa Decomposer Wettable Powder for large-scale adoption.

Organic Composting: Farmers can use organic composting methods with fungal bio-capsules developed by IARI, which naturally degrade up to 90% of rice straw. Composting returns nutrients to the soil and reduces air pollution. Demonstration trials across North India have shown promising results.

Traditional Wisdom: On some farms, decomposing stubble with organic mixtures (sometimes urea) and controlled field management accelerates breakdown while enhancing field fertility at negligible cost. This keeps the soil productive and organic, while eliminating the smoke hazard.

Biogas Plants & Soil Incorporation: Regions have also adopted biogas plants and soil incorporation techniques, turning crop waste into energy and organic matter for future crops.

Policy and Grassroots Support

Government initiatives, such as distributing free decomposer packets, integrating GIS technology to identify hotspots, and supporting the shift from water-intensive crops, are transforming the landscape. Local cooperation with public-private partnerships and farmer education in sustainable methods are crucial to scaling these solutions.

Benefits for Air and Soil Health

Cleaner air: Organic solutions cut toxic emissions, reducing the dangerous AQI spikes each winter.

Healthier soil: Decomposers and composting increase soil organic carbon, improve microbial activity, and boost crop yields—while lowering input costs for farmers and offering truly organic produce for consumers.

Sustainable livelihoods: These methods save money, require fewer chemicals, and help farmers comply with increasingly strict environmental laws.

Conclusion

Stubble burning will remain a challenge until systemic obstacles are addressed. However, organic innovations like bio-decomposers, traditional composting, and policy-driven support provide cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable alternatives for India’s farmers and communities. By continuing to expand these solutions, India takes decisive action toward cleaner air and healthier futures.