CII-CAQM conference calls for farm-fire-free agriculture in North India by 2030

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Chandigarh, August 12

Policymakers, industry representatives, farmers and development experts recently gathered in Chandigarh for a national conference focused on finding solutions to eliminate farm fires in North India. Organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) initiative Cleaner Air Better Life (CABL) and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the conference discussed strategies to achieve farm-fire-free agriculture by 2030.

Since 2017, CII CABL has been working as a multi-stakeholder platform to promote cleaner air. Alongside CII CABL, the CII Foundation is implementing a Crop Residue Management (CRM) programme with CSR support from 19 organizations. The initiative promotes sustainable crop residue management at the community level and supports Central and state governments in developing policies for farm-fire-free agriculture. It currently works with farmers across 1,008 villages in 13 hotspot districts of Punjab and Haryana.

Delivering the special address, CAQM Member Secretary Tarun Kumar Pithode said the conference provides an opportunity to explore innovative ways to manage rice straw and build a more sustainable future. The recommendations from the discussions are expected to strengthen efforts towards cleaner air, healthier soil and a green economy across Punjab, Haryana and the wider Indo-Gangetic Plain.

Speaking during the session on ‘Pathways to Farm-Fire-Free Agriculture’, CAQM Member (Technical) Dr S D Attri stressed that environmental challenges are global and said initiatives such as Viksit Bharat can succeed meaningfully only when citizens have access to clean and safe air.

CII Punjab Chairman and Pritika Group of Industries Managing Director Harpreet Nibber highlighted the importance of a strong farm advisory system to improve soil, air and water quality. He also highlighted the potential of biomass for electricity generation and expressed hope that discussions with key stakeholders would lead to timely and effective solutions.

CII Executive Director Shikhar Jain described air pollution as not only an environmental concern but also a major economic challenge. He added that CABL continues to work on sustainable solutions to tackle air pollution and its broader impact.

During the special plenary on ‘Way Forward: Farm-Fire-Free Agriculture’, participants called for stronger market linkages for biomass-based products and greater community-level support for the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. They emphasized the need for an enabling policy framework that can deliver cleaner air, healthier soil and resilient rural livelihoods.

Technical sessions examined emerging evidence on farm fires, the use of satellite-based data, the need for a robust validation system, and farmer-focused methods for monitoring crop residue burning.

Progressive farmers, village panchayats and farmer cooperatives from Punjab and Haryana were also recognized for their efforts and leadership in promoting farm-fire-free agriculture.

The day-long conference brought together experts from the National Remote Sensing Centre (ISRO), Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Punjab Agricultural University and Panjab University, along with industry and farming community representatives. The participants discussed long-term, actionable measures to eliminate crop residue burning in Punjab and Haryana while advancing the shared goals of cleaner air, healthier soil and a green economy.