Thick plumes of smoke rise into the sky as farmer Ali Sher ignites his fields in Haryana’s Jind district, part of an illegal yet widespread practice of burning agricultural stubble. This method, used by many small-scale farmers in northern India, is a significant contributor to the country’s deadly air pollution crisis, which claims millions of lives annually.
Sher, 55, is among the many farmers who torch their rice stubble to prepare fields for wheat planting, driven by the narrow window of time available for winter crop sowing. “I am scared of being caught by the authorities, but I have no choice,” said Sher, who risks heavy fines and the loss of government subsidies if discovered.
The practice exacerbates air pollution in the densely populated northern belt, including New Delhi, home to 30 million people. The city, already grappling with emissions from vehicles and factories, faces hazardous air quality levels during the burning season. Toxic smog, intensified by stubble burning, often exceeds 50 times the World Health Organization’s recommended limits for PM2.5 pollutants.
Dire Health and Economic Impact
A 2019 study in The Lancet attributed 1.67 million premature deaths in India to air pollution. The financial toll is staggering, with global consultancy Dalberg estimating $95 billion in annual economic losses—approximately 3% of India’s GDP. Beyond health and economic costs, burning reduces soil fertility by up to 30%, forcing farmers to invest more in fertilizers and irrigation.
Efforts to Reduce Burning
India’s government has invested millions in subsidies to encourage sustainable farming practices, including baling machines and combined tools that incorporate stubble into the soil while planting the next crop. However, small-scale farmers—who make up 86% of Indian farms—say these solutions are impractical for them.
“We cannot afford the machinery or costly contractors,” said rice and wheat farmer Ajay Saini. Contractors often prioritize larger farms, leaving smallholders waiting weeks, which delays planting and risks crop failure.
Signs of Progress
Some farmers are shifting to better practices. Government estimates suggest that farm fires have reduced by nearly half since 2017. In Haryana, a Spanish rice exporter, Ebro, has supported farmers like Naresh by providing fungal sprays and free seeder machines in exchange for a commitment not to burn fields.
Despite such efforts, many farmers feel stuck. “We know it is bad for the soil,” said Balkar Singh from Panipat district, “but we have no other choice.”
The challenge underscores the need for scalable solutions that balance environmental sustainability with the economic realities of India’s small-scale farmers.
