40

biogas plants operational in state, plans to establish 78 more plants in future

Biogas

being produced from 150 tonnes of stubble daily at CBG plant

Lucknow,

Nov 10 (HS): The Yogi government is making continuous efforts to transform

stubble management into an economic opportunity for farmers in the state. Chief

Minister Yogi Adityanath is emphasizing the scientific and commercial

utilization of crop residue instead of burning it. Under this initiative,

stubble is being linked to biogas production to provide farmers with additional

income, organic manure for fields, and relief from environmental pollution.

Through

this system, stubble is no longer a problem for farmers but is becoming a new

source of income. Currently, 40 biogas plants are operational in the state, and

78 more are to be established in the near future.

Yogesh,

a resident of Karamatkheda village in Harkh block of Barabanki, is an example

of this. He grows three crops a year: wheat, paddy and potato. Earlier, the

stubble left in the fields after harvesting a crop posed a major problem.

Burning it meant the risk of a penalty, while leaving it in the field raised

concerns about delays in sowing the next crop. However, stubble is now removed

as soon as the crop is harvested, allowing him to start preparing for the next

crop on time.

Balram,

a farmer from Tikra village, says transporting stubble to the biogas plant

saves him disposal costs. Earlier, removing stubble from one acre of land used

to cost approximately Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000. Many times, under pressure to clear

their fields on time, farmers were compelled to burn stubble. This damaged not only

the environment but also soil health and its beneficial microorganisms. Now,

stubble is being used to produce biogas, while the organic residue left after

processing is being used as manure.

The

experiences of farmers like Yogesh and Balram show that the new

stubble-management system can transform the rural agricultural landscape. Under

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's government, the system being developed to

utilize crop residue is not only discouraging farmers from burning stubble but

also establishing a new economic link between the agriculture and energy

sectors.

Under

the Agriculture Department's guidance, the Gates Foundation's Technical Support

Unit (TSU) developed this stubble management model. To build an effective

commercial cycle, the team coordinated with all supply-chain stakeholders.

Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) were specifically involved in this

initiative and encouraged to participate in the pilot project.

The

objective of this model is to ensure timely stubble collection from fields,

safe transportation, and utilization in biogas plants. This relieves farmers of

the stubble disposal problem while utilizing crop residue for energy

production.

The

smoke released from burning stubble increases air pollution. This affects not

only the environment but also people's health. In addition, the intense heat

damages beneficial soil microorganisms and harms the soil's natural fertility.

In

contrast, proper stubble management and organic decomposition increase the

soil's organic matter content. This improves soil structure, moisture-retention

capacity, and the nutrient cycle. Using organic residue from biogas plants as

manure in fields also creates more opportunities to improve soil health.

The

stubble management system not only provides economic benefits to farmers but

also creates new employment opportunities in rural areas. Local people are

getting work in activities such as stubble cutting, collection, baling,

transportation, and processing.

In

areas where arrangements for purchasing and supplying stubble have been made,

farmers also have the opportunity to earn additional income from crop residue.

According

to Barabanki Deputy Director of Agriculture Umesh Kumar Sah, the establishment

of Compressed Biogas (CBG) plants at Deva Road and Haidergarh in the district

has enabled the initiative to be expanded in Harkh, Haidergarh, Fatehpur and

Ramnagar blocks. Stubble collected from these areas is being used to produce

biogas. Stubble is being removed from farmers' fields on time, and the organic

residue generated after processing is being made available as manure.

He

stated that employment opportunities have also been created in activities

related to stubble collection and transportation. At least 10 to 12 people are

engaged in stubble collection work in the fields, while approximately 2,000

people are employed at the plant.

The

Agriculture Department of the Yogi government provides subsidy assistance to

Farmer Producer Organizations and individual beneficiaries for purchasing CRM

machines for crop residue management.

To

link machinery availability with stubble demand, the Technical Support Unit has

facilitated Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between FPOs and aggregators

and super aggregators. These super aggregators already have agreements with CBG

plants.

Under

this arrangement, FPOs and aggregators are connected to the plants through

super aggregators. They have also been trained to operate and maintain

machinery, collect stubble, and maintain its quality. These organizations help

connect farmers to the system, map fields, and prepare collection plans

according to crop harvesting schedules.

Machines

such as slashers, rakers, and balers cut stubble. Balers make bundles of

stubble. Vehicles and hydraulic machines then collect these at collection

centers and transport them to biogas plants.

The

objective of this system is to remove stubble immediately after harvesting so

farmers do not face difficulties sowing the next crop.

According

to information from the CBG plant on Deva Road, it processes about 150 tonnes

of stubble daily to produce biogas. This produces approximately 15,000 to

19,000 kilograms of biogas daily. The plant uses paddy and maize stubble.

Because these crop residues contain high levels of silica, their use as animal

fodder is limited.

Meanwhile,

farmers generally use wheat stubble as animal fodder. In this context, linking

paddy and maize stubble to biogas production is emerging as an alternative

avenue for utilization.

According

to Agriculture Department Director T.M. Tripathi, in accordance with the

expectations of the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal, farmers'

approach towards stubble management in the state has changed. The emphasis is

now on the scientific utilization of stubble instead of burning it. With the

establishment of CBG plants, stubble, which earlier posed a problem for

farmers, is now becoming a source of income.

He

said 40 biogas plants are currently operational in the state, and 78 more will

be established soon. These plants will use stubble to produce energy in the

form of compressed biogas. In addition, the organic by-products from processing

will be available as manure, which can help improve soil fertility and increase

soil carbon content.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi