DG ICAR Inspires Farmers at Inter-State Travelling Seminar on Crop Residue Management

26 October 2025, Ludhiana

A high-level Inter-State Travelling Seminar on Crop Residue Management, organized by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, successfully concluded after engaging with farmers across Punjab and Haryana from October 24 to 26, 2025. The three-day seminar aimed to promote sustainable residue management practices and develop region-specific strategies to eliminate stubble burning.

Dr. M. L. Jat, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR), led the seminar and emphasized the need for tailored, location-specific interventions to address the diverse agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions of farmers. He proposed a key policy reform the formulation of a ‘Region-Specific Flexible List of Mandatory Machines for Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs)’, suggesting that subsidy eligibility should be based on regional requirements rather than a uniform national framework.

Farmers actively participated throughout the seminar, voicing key concerns about the rising operational costs, quality assurance of subsidized machines, and the suitability of newer models for local conditions. Addressing these issues, Dr. Jat discussed potential innovations such as Carbon Credit incentives for farmers adopting CRM practices, social recognition for “environment protector” villages consistently avoiding residue burning, and preferential access to government schemes for those demonstrating sustainable practices.

In his address, Dr. Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR reiterated that ‘Zero crop residue burning is not an option it is a necessity for sustainable farming.’ He underscored the importance of large-scale adoption of in-situ crop residue management for ensuring long-term agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability.

Dr. Parvender Sheoran, Director, ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute Ludhiana, highlighted concerns regarding the efficient utilization and maintenance of CRM machinery distributed under various schemes. He stressed the importance of pilot testing new machines under local field conditions before their inclusion in subsidy lists and encouraged continuous dialogue with farmers to ensure practicality and performance.

The seminar also recommended night-time enforcement mechanisms with localized accountability to strengthen implementation.

The seminar’s itinerary included visits to farmers’ fields and live machinery demonstrations across villages in Ludhiana, Sangrur, and Barnala (Punjab), and Rohtak and Fatehabad (Haryana). The initiative served as a dynamic platform connecting policymakers, scientists, and farmers—bridging gaps between research and field realities. It reinforced ICAR’s commitment to achieving zero stubble burning through collaborative, regionally adapted, and economically viable solutions that empower farmers and safeguard the environment.

(Source: ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute Ludhiana)