Sustainable management of crop residues in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan : challenges and solutions

This paper provides a subregional overview on the status of crop residue management in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. Based on findings from national studies undertaken, the paper provides a summary on the amounts of crop residues produced, the in-situ and ex-situ management techniques utilized by farmers to make use of residues, the major factors that influence their burning and the various socio-economic and environmental impacts that such burning has in the subregion. An overview is also provided on the different kinds of agricultural machinery used to manage crop residues in the study countries, government efforts to reduce the level of burning as well as the various technologies that exist to use biomass for power generation.