#1NATIONAL STUDY ON INTEGRATED STRAW MANAGEMENT IN PAKISTAN By SHABBIR AHMED KALWAR Agricultural Engineer Former Director/Chief Scientific Officer Pakistan Agricultural Research Council Islamabad, Pakistan Crop Residue Management in South Asia: Advancing Sub-regional Cooperation for Sustainable, Climate-smart and Integrated Management of Crop Residues 15 September 2022 ESCAP MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER CSAM SANSO South Asia Network on the SDGs#2Crop residue burning in Pakistan ➤ Total residue produced of 5 major crops (wheat, rice, maize, sugarcane and cotton) is above 55 million tons every year. ■ Above 80% of rice straw and sugarcane debris are burnt in the field ▪ Less than 5% of wheat straw burnt in the field and rest is consumed for animal feeding, paper production, export purposes, mushroom growing and other local uses. ■ Less than 5% of maize straw is burnt; remaining straw used for animal feeding and mixed in the soil using rotavator and disk harrow ■ Cotton stalk: about 50% used for firewood in rural areas and remaining 50% mixed with soil using rotavator and disk harrow.#3Crop residue burning in Pakistan (Continue) Rice straw and sugarcane debris burnt due to; ■ No commercial value ■ Time window between Basmati rice variety harvesting and wheat sowing is less than 10 days High cost of residue collection from field ■ Other uses are very limited#4Examples of best practices in Pakistan Rice straw used to; cover ornamental plants during winter at public parks, temporary animal shades during winter covering seeds of spring floricultural plants, heating fuel in rural areas, fruit and industrial product packaging. ➤ Cotton stalk: about 50% used as a fuel in rural areas, the remaining 50% mulched in the soil using shredders and rotavators. ➤ Recently big cotton growers have started making pellets and briquettes as fuel from cotton stalks.#5Examples of best practices in Pakistan (Continue) ➤In July 2020, the Government of Punjab, Pakistan, launched a 2 years programme to distribute 500 Pak/Happy seeders and tractor-operated rice straw choppers on 80:20 subsidy to the rice growers in specified districts ➤The Government of Punjab, Pakistan has also implemented a law to impose penalties on burning of crop residue to control burning.#6Recommendations/National Policy for integrated straw National level management ➤Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) has to organise a national workshop on "Crop straw management" every year inviting all stakeholders to advise federal and provincial governments about crop residue management strategies Allow duty free import of crop head feeding combines ➤Formulate and implement appropriate laws and legislative/policy measures to control burning of crop straw#7Recommendations/National Policy for integrated straw management (Continue) Provincial level ➤ Expand the subsidy of Pak/Happy Seeder and Rice straw chopper scheme for five years or increase the number of machines up to 5000 each to cover whole rice area @ 80:20 ratio. ➤ Encourage all stakeholders in increasing awareness and arrange travelling seminars to progressive farmers who have fully adapted Pak/Happy seeder technology. Provide incentives to farmers who use track type head feeding combine harvesters that leave straw intact for easier collection and use for animal feed Enforce the attachment of straw spreading kit to combine harvesters used for rice harvesting.#8Recommendations/National Policy for integrated straw management (Continue) ➤ Promote diversified uses of crop residues (rice straw & sugarcane trash) for power generation, bio-ethanol production, packing material for fruits & vegetables and glassware, paper/board/panel industry, biogas, composting, and mushroom cultivation etc. Expand subsidy scheme to include more machines i.e., straw spreading kit, tractor PTO driven Disk plow ➤ Organise trainings of farmers for creating awareness about effects of crop residue burning and adaption of conservation agricultural practices and resource conservation technology#9Recommendations at the subregional level Expand an ESCAP-led pilot project on integrated straw management to Pakistan, implemented by the Agricultural Engineering Institute at PARC, Islamabad and the Punjab Government's Directorate General Agricultural (Field). Initiate new pilot projects at sub-regional level on other uses of straw such as development/promotion of straw matt, mesh and rope making machinery.#10THANK YOU ESCAP MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER 5 CSAM SANS South Asia Network on the SDGs 40