ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a panel discussion titled ‘Inclusive Crop Residue Management and Sustainable Agriculture’ on Wednesday proposed the establishment of a SAARC agriculture centre to address crop residue and other agricultural challenges in the region.
They also emphasised the need for a robust national policy that involved farmers as key stakeholders in the decision-making process.
In a session at the Sustainable Development Conference (SDC) organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), the panel featured several experts, including Dr Jing Huang from ESCAP-SSWA; Dr Rajan Sudesh Ratna from UNESCAP-SSWA, India; Dr Dushni Weerakoon from IPS, Sri Lanka; Dr Paras Kharel from SAWTEE, Nepal; Dr Babar Shahbaz from UAF; Imran Sheikh from PBHF; Anjum Ali Buttar from PSEP, Punjab; Sultan Ahmed Bhatti, a farmers' representative from Gujranwala; Dr Razia Safdar, Dr Kashif Majeed Salik and Irfan Ahmad Chattha from the SDPI; Umendra Dutt, Karan Singh and Rupsi Garg from KVM, India; Usman Manzoor from GGPI; Zawar Kazmi, Head of Agro at PepsiCo, Pakistan; and Dr Jibran Hussain, senior research adviser at TIIKM, Sri Lanka.
The speakers said burning of crop residue posed significant health risks, but it was essential to first consult farmers about their needs.
The discussion highlighted the importance of incorporating health system resilience into policies, ensuring that farmers' perspectives on alternatives to crop burning were considered.
Dr Babar Shahbaz emphasised the importance of developing environmentally-sustainable crops, suggesting that while farmers should consider mechanical methods, machinery alone was not a comprehensive solution.
He advocated for the implementation of distinct short-term, medium-term and long-term policies.
Imran Sheikh said we need to ask why farmers were burning crop residue.
“Let me tell you that crop residue contributes less than 10 per cent to air pollution. Farmer/ harvester have no capacity building or training, which was why he was burning over 20,000 advisories with a match box of Rs10. This is no debate whether air from India was causing smog and health issues in Lahore. Air blows from Pakistan to India as well. Eating Biryani is easy but harvesting rice is a difficult task. In our region, because of floods, no other crop can be cultivated at larger level than rice,” Mr Sheikh said.
Dr Razia Safdar said smog undoubtedly led to significant health problems, highlighting the necessity of incorporating the health system into resilience policies.
Umendra Dutt pointed out that this matter transcended mere machinery.
“It fundamentally relates to behaviour and psychology. While the Green Revolution has positively impacted the environment, it has also resulted in various health issues,” Mr Dutt said, adding that we have depleted groundwater resources.
He said it was essential to engage with the government, but “we must also take personal responsibility”.
Karan Singh, Rupsi Garg, Sultan Bhatti, Usman Manzoor, Dr Rajan Sudesh Ratna and Dr Kashif Majeed Malik stated that there was currently no official government policy addressing crop burning.
They emphasised that while residue management was not overly complex, a comprehensive policy was necessary.
They advocated for the development of a national policy and the establishment of a SAARC agriculture centre at the regional level to foster joint ventures and cooperation, thereby enhancing connectivity among SAARC-member countries.
