New Holland Agriculture, a brand of CNH Industrial has started a 3-year pioneer project, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) with the aim of helping farmers towards eco-friendly use of crop residue.
India produces some 620 million tons of crop residues yearly, which has significant nutrient potential. The disposal of crop residue, generated in large quantities, has become a hazard as a result of on-farm burning which reduces land productivity due to its negative effects. Crop-residue burning also results in a haze, leading to the outbreak of breathing ailments, particularly in northern India. The on-farm burning of crop residues has intensified in recent years as low cost and easily adaptable technologies for its handling and management are unavailable, and the window between harvesting one crop and sowing the next is extremely short.
In order to stop the resultant pollution, this 3-year project is focused on researching and developing a sustainable and economically-viable crop residue management strategy in the form of a sustainable business model. Head of the Division of Agricultural Engineering ICAR-IARI Dr. Indra Mani will lead the project. In addition to funding the entire project, New Holland Agriculture will offer its straw management equipment for research and also provide the technical input to develop a holistic straw management solution, offering technologies for crop residue management.
Raunak Varma, Country Manager for CNH Industrial in India said, “We at CNH Industrial are committed in our efforts to find sustainable solutions for environmental conservation and protecting the future of agriculture in India adding that burning of crop residue pollutes the environment and kills beneficial soil micro organisms. As an agricultural equipment manufacturer with a complete range of solutions, including tractors, balers, rakes and mulchers for Straw Management, it is our responsibility to take part in finding a long-term crop residue burning solution.”
New Holland Agriculture needs no introduction as it is the market leader in crop residue management with its advanced solutions. It is also industry leader in biomass collection for power generation by paddy straw and other crop-residues and cogeneration from cane trash in sugar mills. In just one paddy season, each New Holland BC5060 square baler can help produce enough electricity for around 950 rural homes for one year. New Holland Agriculture aims at helping farmers, contractors and agribusinesses around the world to increase their productivity with more efficient use of precious resources in all aspects of crop production and harvesting.
