GNDU champions climate-smart agriculture through crop residue management

A day-long workshop on “Sustainable Crop Residue Management for Climate Resilient Agriculture” was on Wednesday organised by the Golden Jubilee Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (GJCEI), Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture.

The inaugural session featured Dr Balwinder Singh, coordinator, GJCEI, who emphasised the importance of adopting innovative and eco-friendly approaches to crop residue management. “As evident in recent years, these practices are vital for ensuring environmental sustainability and improving farm productivity. With the global shift toward climate-sensitive and resilient agricultural systems, Punjab must actively be part of this transition,” he said.

Dr Aparna Bhatia, deputy coordinator, GJCEI, and Dr Sandeep Singh, principal agronomist, shared their insights on climate change and its impact on Punjab’s agriculture. Dr Sandeep, who has worked extensively in agro-meteorology and established climatic requirements for improving rice, maize and wheat yields, highlighted the need for adopting climate-conducive farming practices. “This is the right time to integrate innovation and technology in agriculture. It allows both traditional and young farmers to embrace modern, science-driven methods,” he noted.

Dr Bikramjit Singh, associate director, briefed participants on the role of advanced machinery in reducing crop residue burning and discussed the current status of farmers in adopting such technologies. Dr Raminder Kaur delivered an expert lecture on sustainable residue management techniques currently being implemented in Amritsar district.

The workshop concluded with an interactive session and a live demonstration of residue management.