WE DON’T have the money or time for cutting, baling and transporting stubble to companies,” retorts Shiv Kumar, a 47-year-old farmer from Taraori village in Haryana’s Karnal district when asked why he does not monetise the biomass from his field. Every kharif season, Kumar’s 2.5hectare field produces 10 tonnes of crop residues, such as stalks, stubble and leaves. These are important sources of energy, for domestic as well as industrial uses. Estimates show crop residues from Kumar’s field can generate electricity, sufficient for one or two households for a year. Yet, as soon as paddy is harvested, he sets fire to the crop residues. His decision is not impulsive.
In 2013, Kumar and a group of farmers from Taraori decided to generate additional income by selling their stubble to one soy extraction company in Karnal city. “It offered us ₹1 per kg. We rented a hay baler to compress the stubble and a tractor to transport the bales to its factory. But the rental cost was so high that we could not recover our investment,” he adds. While Kumar earned ₹3,000 over an investment of ₹22,000, those with small farms, incurred losses. Since then, neither Kumar nor any in the group wants to risk getting their fingers burnt.
Denne historien er fra March 01, 2020-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra March 01, 2020-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
