Awareness Campaign against Residue Burning 'Chetna Maas' Organised by KVK Barnala

Ludhiana, November 27, 2017: A mass awareness campaign against residue burning was organized to aware the farmers to put an end to the practice of paddy straw burning. The event also aimed to promote the practice of sowing of wheat with happy seeder. In this programme farmers were made aware of that the residue burning apart from contaminating the air quality and also strip the soil nutrients and organic matter.
Dr.P.S.Tanwar (Associate Director) of KVK, Barnala presided over the function and called on farmers to adopt climate smart agriculture practices. Burning residue goes against all the principles of sustainable agriculture Dr. Tanwar said. On the contrary, retaining crop residue has shown to improve soil nutrients and thereby yields. He also said field burning of crop residues is a major contributor to air pollution, public health and environment. Dr. Suryendra Singh Asstt. Prof. (Agronomy) explained the farmers in-situ burning of crop residues leads to loss of soil Carbon, Nitrogen in addition to loss of Sulphur and destruction of beneficial microflora of the soil with adverse implications for soil quality and nutrient use efficiency.
Mr. Gulzar Singh Gill, A farmer from village-Kattu shared his experience in using happy seeder for sowing of crops, use of paddy straw as mulch, preparation of compost etc. A live demonstration of harvesting of paddy crop by combine fitted with Straw Management System (SMS) was also arrange at Gill farm at village Kattu (Barnala). Many farmers are adopting practices like sowing with happy seeder, zero till seed drill, residue mulching etc. in this village.
Farmers were also explained about the residue management technologies e.g. collection and bailing, use for generation of energy such as biogas or electricity, production of biofuel, .zero tillage / direct drilling of succeeding crops by using zero till seed drill, happy seeder at KVK through PPT &A. V. aids. Extension literature was developed which includes all paddy straw management technologies and distributed to the farmers.
A hands on training programme was arrange to teach the farmers about the alternative usages of paddy straw as cattle feed, preparation of compost, mushroom cultivation, use for paper making and card board industry, in bricks kilns as fuel. As a consequence a total of around 78 acres wheat crop has been sown with happy seeder in villages Kattu and Rurekekalan of Barnala district.