Environment ministry launches crop residue management project

New Delhi: To combat the climate change impacts, enhancing adaptive capacity and to counter the adverse environmental impacts from reported stubble burning, the environment ministry approved Rs 100 crore project 'Climate Resilience Building among Farmers through Crop Residue Management' here on Thursday.

Under the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC), the project was approved at the meeting of the National Steering Committee on Climate Change here with the initiative of the Secretary in the ministry CK Mishra. The first phase of the project will cover Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The project's primery focus is to generate the awareness on capacity building activities which will also encourage farmers to adopt alternate practices that help in diversify livelihood options and enhance their income.

Moreover, the problem of crop residue burning has been intensifying since last year, with Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh being the major states. Thus, the project under the environment ministry will introduce a slew of technological interventions for timely management of crop residue in addition to effective utilisation of existing machineries. "Increased mechanization, declining number of livestock, long period required for composting and no economically viable alternate use of residues are some of the reasons for residues being burnt in field. This not only has implications for global warming, but also has an adverse impact on air quality, soil health and human health," a government statement mentioned.

"Implementable and sustainable entrepreneurship models will be created in rural areas through upscaling successful initiatives and innovative ideas," it adds further.

The project will leverage approximately three times the approved amount with contribution from the states as well as farmers, the government feels. During the meeting Secretary, MoEFCC CK Mishra also added, "Based upon the performance in the first phase, the scope could be enhanced and more activities can be supported subsequently."

Projects from Nagaland, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh were also approved in the meeting. Despite limited budgetary provision, NAFCC has so far approved 27 innovative projects, covering vulnerable sectors like agriculture, animal husbandry, water, forestry among others, since its launch in 2015, the ministry claimed.