Discover how New Holland Agriculture is working with the Indian government and local population to help replace the practice of crop stubble burning with more sustainable and innovative alternatives. Find out more at: cnhindustrial.com/stubbleburning_en
Known as the bread basket of India, the state of Punjab produces close to 20 percent of the country’s wheat and 10 percent of its rice. Impressive figures achieved and maintained only through efficient farming practices, where reducing the turnaround window between crop cycles is key. Many local farmers have traditionally resorted to stubble burning following the harvest as a quick and cheap way of clearing their fields, but at what cost to the wider community and environment?
This article highlights the harmful side-effects of stubble burning and explores a range of alternative solutions which are being championed in India by New Holland, the global agricultural brand of CNH Industrial (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI).
Spearheading these initiatives is the sustainable Straw Management solution – a project launched in October 2017 as a collaboration between CNH Industrial and the Department of Agriculture in Punjab. One aspect of the project sees farmers receive training on specialist New Holland equipment which collects and bales the straw preparing it for delivery to a local biomass plant where it can be used to generate electricity for nearby communities, thereby providing additional income for farmers. The project has enjoyed considerable success and was publicly endorsed by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, during one of his broadcasts to the nation. Following the project’s success, it is entering a new phase, which will see it rolled out to other districts in the region as New Holland looks to further promote the environmental and many other benefits of straw management.
Read more about CNH Industrial’s sustainable solutions to this burning issue at: cnhindustrial.com/stubbleburning_en