From Our Correspondent
THOUBAL | Nov 10
The burning away of crop residue like rice straws and hay which can serve many useful purpose, is like throwing away gems into a river, said subject matter specialist, KVK Thoubal, Dr. M Thoithoi.
When asked about the practice of burning crop residue immediately after harvesting season by farmers, Dr. Thoithoi expressed his views in a special meeting.
He further expressed that crop residue if used properly, can turn into a profiting business and help develop the economy of the state in a big way.
North East India is known for being a hot spot for organic farming. However, in Manipur, people seem to think that the meaning of agriculture is only harvesting of rice paddy, farming of vegetable and fruits.
Farming of seasonal vegetables during winter after the harvesting of crops is a very profitable. Keeping the crop residue scattered at the paddy fields is very useful.
Modern day farming which relies on chemicals not only is a costly business but can cause in the birth of many diseases. A resourceful alternative is to keep the organic crop residue scattered on the paddy fields and make them decompose naturally.
As the rice straws and hay decomposes, they make the soil rich and highly fertile. Not only this, the excrement left by the animals coming to graze on the crop residue makes the soil even more fertile. The crop residue also makes the ground soft, thus making farmer easier to work. The dried and hard ground is blamed for discouraging the people to work on it.
Dr. Thoithoi said the belief that burning of crop residue prevents the infestation of “wahik” in the next harvest is entirely false. There is no any relation between burning of crops and the infestation of “wahik.” Some insects that might be present during the burning may be killed, however.
Science has proven that fire can burn only where oxygen is found and the heat affects only the surface area. If the fire is very strong, it will be able to kill some insects hiding below the surface of the ground. However, it can also destroy the richness of the soil and its fertility. The appearance of “wahik” is due to its migrating from other places afterwards or due to the usage of wrong insecticides.
The wrong use of insecticides like Synthetic Pyrethroid (cypermethril, alphamethril, deltamethril etc.) is to be blamed.
Some of the insects, who had managed to survive after continuous exposure to these insecticides, have the potential the reproduces themselves rapidly. This is the main reason behind the infestation of “wahik” and the cause behind all the problems associated with it. Therefore, the crop residue must never be burned down and make it go to waste.
Mentioning the benefits or rice straws and hay, he explained that during the farming of seasonal vegetables during winter (onions and others), if the rice straw is cut in the length of two inches and thrown above the saplings during their budding state, there will be no need water the saplings every day. Daily watering can also affect the saplings in a negative way.
The belief that cattle do not like to eat rice straws after being processed by machines is also false. Cattle actually love to eat them. The rice straws which are not processed by machines takes time to decompose and cannot be used immediately for mushroom farming.
Mushroom farming is huge business which is very profitable. Not only it is profitable, Mushroom is a very healthy food. One of the favourite mustard oil consumed in the state, Tagore Oil is produced in Rajasthan, a place where most it its land consists of desert areas.
On the other hand, Manipur state being properly irrigated and having plenty of water resources, is not able to produce mustard oil. The reason behind this is that the people do not have proper knowledge of agriculture.
He further said that those who are willing to acquire information in the field of agriculture can take consultations from KVK Thoubal at Khangabok.
Read more / Original news source: http://www.ifp.co.in/item/4957-crop-residue-must-never-be-burned-thoithoi