As climate change accelerates, agriculture faces unprecedented challenges. Traditional farming methods, including the widespread practice of crop residue burning, contribute significantly to carbon emissions and soil degradation. However, the emergence of sustainable solutions like Promoting Regenerative and No-Burn Agriculture (PRANA) and biochar are helping to transform the way farmers approach soil management and environmental stewardship. These initiatives are becoming an essential tool in mitigating the environmental impacts of modern farming.
In fact, regenerative agriculture took center stage at the recent Kisan Mela in Ludhiana, with a special focus on the involvement of women in promoting crop residue management (CRM). Hosted by the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), the event saw the participation of thousands of farmers, students, and agriculturists, eager to learn about innovative and sustainable farming techniques. One of the major highlights of the event was the PRANA (Promoting Regenerative and No Burn Agriculture) project stall, spearheaded by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Nature Conservancy India Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (NCIS), which placed an emphasis on women’s critical role in encouraging the adoption of sustainable farming practices.
The Stubble-Burning Dilemma
India’s agriculture sector is one of the largest in the world, feeding over 1.4 billion people and employing nearly 42% of its population. However, it also faces significant challenges, including soil degradation, water scarcity, and air pollution caused by crop residue burning. In India, as per a research, approximately 127 million tons of crop residue are generated annually, with around 24 million tons being burned, making it the highest residue burning rate in Asia. China follows, burning nearly 17 million tons of crop residue each year.
It is a recurring environmental crisis unfolds each year with alarming regularity. This accounts for nearly 50% or nearly half of Delhi’s air pollution during peak smog season of winter months, exacerbating respiratory illnesses and environmental degradation. The burning of this residue releases harmful pollutants, including CO2, methane, and particulate matter (PM2.5), contributing significantly to global warming and poor air quality.
Beyond the immediate health impacts, burning crop residue also strips the soil of organic matter, leading to long-term fertility loss. Farmers often resort to burning because it is a cheap and fast way to clear fields for the next planting season, but this short-term convenience comes with a high cost to both the environment and agricultural productivity.
PRANA Initiative & Regenerative Agriculture: Addressing Farming Crisis in India
The Promoting Regenerative and No-Burn Agriculture (PRANA) initiative is a ground breaking program designed to address the twin problems of stubble burning and soil degradation. Launched with the goal of transitioning 250,000 farmers—especially small and marginalized farmers—away from traditional farming practices. By integrating practical, scalable technologies and non-burn methods, PRANA seeks to mitigate CO2 emissions, conserve water, and improve the overall quality of life for the farming communities in these regions.
By adopting non-burn practices and regenerative methods, PRANA seeks to mitigate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, improve soil fertility, conserve water, and promote long-term sustainability in agriculture. The initiative also places a special focus on smallholder farmers, who are often most vulnerable to the economic and environmental impacts of climate change.
Regenerative Agriculture: Addressing Farming Crisis in India
As mentioned earlier, crop burning accounts for almost half of Delhi’s winter air pollution. This practice not only releases harmful pollutants into the air but also strips the soil of essential nutrients and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating climate change. To address these challenges, India is turning to regenerative agriculture — a farming approach that restores soil health, increases biodiversity, and reduces reliance on chemical inputs.
Regenerative agriculture is a holistic farming system that focuses on enhancing the overall health of the ecosystem. Unlike conventional agriculture, which often leads to soil depletion and environmental damage, regenerative agriculture promotes practices that rebuild soil organic matter, improve water retention, and reduce carbon emissions. Key principles of regenerative agriculture include:
- Minimal soil disturbance: Practices like no-till farming help preserve the soil structure and promote natural biological processes.
- Cover cropping: Planting cover crops improves soil fertility and reduces erosion.
- Diversification: Rotating crops and incorporating diverse plant species enhances soil health and increases farm resilience.
- Integrated livestock: Using animals to graze cover crops adds organic matter and nutrients back into the soil.
Key Components of Promoting Regenerative and No-Burn Agriculture (PRANA)
- No-Burn Agriculture: One of the primary goals of PRANA is to eliminate the harmful practice of stubble burning. By introducing technologies like Happy Seeders, farmers can sow seeds directly into the standing rice stubble without the need for burning. This not only saves time but also retains valuable organic matter in the soil, improving its fertility over time.
- Biochar Production: PRANA promotes the production of biochar—a carbon-rich material made from crop residues through pyrolysis. Biochar, when applied to soil, can sequester carbon for hundreds of years, reduce the need for chemical fertilizers, and improve soil health by retaining nutrients and water.
- Crop Diversification: The initiative encourages farmers to diversify their cropping systems, moving away from the water-intensive rice-wheat cycle. By promoting the cultivation of pulses, oilseeds, and other less resource-intensive crops, PRANA aims to reduce water consumption, conserve soil nutrients, and increase farm resilience.
- Soil Health and Water Conservation: Through practices like cover cropping and reduced tillage, PRANA aims to regenerate soils, increasing their organic content and water-holding capacity. This is particularly critical in regions like Punjab and Haryana, where groundwater depletion is a significant problem due to decades of overextraction for rice farming. According to reports, Punjab’s water table is dropping at a rate of one meter per year.
- Farmer Training and Support: PRANA provides farmers with access to education and training on regenerative agriculture practices. By offering technical support and financial incentives, the initiative ensures that farmers can adopt these practices without sacrificing productivity or profitability.
Environmental and Economic Benefits of PRANA
The environmental benefits of the PRANA initiative are multifaceted. By reducing the need for crop residue burning, PRANA will help mitigate CO2 emissions and improve air quality. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) estimates that stubble burning contributes to the emission of 149 million tons of CO2, 9 million tons of carbon monoxide, and0.25 million tons of sulfur oxides annually. Eliminating this practice can make a significant dent in India’s overall greenhouse gas emissions.
In addition to lowering emissions, PRANA’s focus on soil health can improve crop yields over time. Healthy soils retain more water and nutrients, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and irrigation. This is particularly important for smallholder farmers, who often struggle with the rising costs of agricultural inputs.
Read more: Creative Street Theater Drives No-Burn Awareness at Ludhiana Kisan Mela
Moreover, the regenerative practices promoted by PRANA can enhance farm biodiversity, making agricultural systems more resilient to climate shocks such as droughts, floods, and pest outbreaks. By encouraging crop diversification, PRANA also helps farmers mitigate risks associated with monoculture farming.
Scaling Regenerative Agriculture in India
The success of PRANA will depend on the ability to scale regenerative agriculture practices across India’s vast and diverse agricultural landscape. While the initiative is currently focused on Punjab and Haryana, its lessons and technologies could be applied to other states facing similar challenges.
Government policies supporting regenerative agriculture will be critical to PRANA’s long-term success. The Indian government has already taken steps to promote sustainable farming through programs like the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), which supports climate-resilient farming techniques. Further investments in infrastructure, research, and farmer education will be essential for the widespread adoption of regenerative practices.
Additionally, public-private partnerships could play a key role in driving innovation and investment in regenerative agriculture. Agrotech startups and companies like FarmERP are already developing tools and technologies that can help farmers monitor soil health, optimize resource use, and make data-driven decisions.
Addressing the Challenges Faced by Small and Marginalized Farmers
While the potential benefits of regenerative agriculture are clear, implementing these practices at scale requires overcoming several hurdles, particularly for small and marginalized farmers. Many of these farmers lack access to the resources, knowledge, and machinery necessary to adopt no-burn practices.
To address these challenges, PRANA is focused on providing farmers with financial incentives, technical training, and access to necessary equipment. Small-scale farmers, who are often the most vulnerable to climate shocks and economic instability, will be given priority in the program.
By equipping them with the tools and support they need, PRANA ensures that the transition to regenerative agriculture is not only environmentally sustainable but also economically viable.
The Promoting Regenerative and No-Burn Agriculture (PRANA) initiative marks a pivotal moment in India’s agricultural transformation. By promoting regenerative practices and eliminating crop residue burning, PRANA offers a path forward for sustainable, climate-resilient farming. As the initiative expands, it has the potential to reshape India’s agricultural landscape, offering environmental and economic benefits that can be shared by farmers, consumers, and the broader ecosystem.
As climate change continues to disrupt traditional farming systems, regenerative agriculture offers a hopeful alternative that can restore ecosystems, improve livelihoods, and secure food supplies for future generations.
