ABSTRACT
The burning of agricultural crop residue in India, prominent in the peninsular region, is a major environmental concern. Much research has already highlighted the detrimental impact of residue burning on various environmental and health parameters, yet there is a lack of information on the factors that force farmers to burn their crop residues, especially in agrarian states like Andhra Pradesh (AP). To address this gap, we conducted a survey with questionnaire among 200 farming households from different districts in AP. The study used a probit model to identify key factors influencing farmers’ decisions to burn their crop residues instead of choosing alternative residue management practices. Education level, family size, livestock ownership, number of livestock, method of sowing and harvesting, soil health and environmental consciousness, and sowing window period appeared to have a negative effect on crop-burning decisions. Concurrently, residue burning becomes more prevalent as off-farm income, landholding size, and residue removal expenses increase. Our research recommends several solutions, including adopting livestock farming; utilising advanced technologies, such as Happy Seeders or upgraded combine harvesters; raising awareness and changing the mindset of farmers; and promoting alternative uses of crop residue, as effective mitigation strategies.
