Stubble Burning: Madhya Pradesh has emerged as the nation’s top offender in stubble burning, a practice that has severe damaging effects on air quality and environmental health. Yet, rising smoke notwithstanding, tribal farmers in the state are coming out with greener alternatives that may hold the key to addressing this challenge.
What was once a green belt for Madhya Pradesh has now become a source of seasonal smoke because farmers are burning crop residues after they harvest it. Madhya Pradesh has seen a staggering 11,382 cases of stubble-burning this season, surpassing Punjab’s 9,655 cases.
This meteoric rise is associated with a steep surge in paddy cultivation that has more than doubled in the last decade. While in 2012, some 58 lakh hectares of the arable land was under soybean cultivation, only 16.5 lakh hectares was covered by paddy. By 2024, soybean acreage had fallen to 52 lakh hectares, while paddy cultivation skyrocketed to 33.5 lakh hectares.
Sheopur and Narmadapuram are among the worst-affected districts, reporting 2,424 and 1,462 cases of stubble burning, respectively.
Stubble Burning Afflicts Farmers Mustered With Tough Choices
According to them, stubble burning is considered a practical necessity. “Paddy straw is something that has to be burnt,” said farmer Rajesh Kajle of Narmadapuram. “There’s no human power for manual removal, and the field has to be prepared quickly for the next crop. But we understand the pollution and risks to grazing animals.”
Sustainable Practices In Tribal Areas
More interestingly, tribal-dominated states like Balaghat account for as few as six such cases. Those places are still retaining the traditional modes of farming based on sustainability.
In Malharapankha of Betul district, farmers has always used crop residue to feed her cattle. One of them said, “If we burn the stubble, what will the cattle eat? Burning causes pollution, and fodder is already scarce,” she explained.
Government’s Call To Action
The state government has stepped up efforts to discourage stubble burning. Horticulture and Food Processing Minister Narayan Singh Kushwaha appealed to farmers by citing the benefits of alternative use. “Burning stubble destroys essential soil nutrients and bacteria. It can be repurposed for CNG production or composting,” he said.
In addition, the government is also encouraging mechanized answers, such as super seeders that mix stubble into soil to improve fertility while avoiding burning. Subsidies up to ₹1.05 lakh are offered to make this technology reach a higher number of farmers.
Tribal Farmers: The Model Of Change
The practices followed by tribal farmers in Madhya Pradesh are a perfect example of how sustainable methods can address the stubble burning crisis effectively. What they have done is taken crop residues as animal fodder, composts, and even building materials to create a zero-waste system that prevents pollution and maximizes agricultural resources.
As the government encourages wider adoption of such methods and technology, Madhya Pradesh’s tribal farmers serve as a model for combating environmental degradation while supporting livelihoods.
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