Agriculture is central to livelihoods and food security in India, especially in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. The Green Revolution led to the dominance of the rice–wheat cropping system. Punjab, known as India’s principal granary, plays a crucial role in national food production, contributing nearly one-fourth of India’s rice and over one-third of its wheat.

However, this system has reduced crop diversity and increased pressure on natural resources, generating large volumes of crop residue. The short gap between rice harvesting and wheat sowing forces farmers to clear fields quickly, often through stubble burning. With mechanization leaving behind heavy residue, about 14 million tons annually, is burned in Punjab alone, causing severe air pollution across North India, particularly in Delhi-NCR.

Stubble burning has long term consequences, including loss of soil nutrients, declining soil organic content and reduced soil fertility, water retention, and biodiversity. It also contributes to severe air quality deterioration and health risks.

To combat this, governments and research institutions have introduced alternatives like the Happy Seeder, balers and in-situ residue management, along with awareness campaigns promoting stubble as a resource.

Efforts toward crop diversification and millet cultivation aim to make agriculture more sustainable, yet high costs, limited machinery access, and insufficient financial incentives continue to slow adoption.

The conference aims to provide a platform for dialogue and collaboration among policymakers, researchers, environmental experts, civil society, and farmers to develop sustainable solutions for crop residue management.

It will focus on reducing stubble burning, promoting affordable and farmer-friendly technologies, and identifying policy pathways that ensure both agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability.