This post is created by The Better India and sponsored by Wingify Earth.

Every winter, the national capital region battles severe smog and declining air quality, but this time, there may be some respite.

The ‘Happy Seeder’ machine developed in 2002 could be a boon for farmers. It eliminates the usual practice of clearing stubble off the land to prepare it for the new season.

This tractor-mounted machine cuts off the straw and sows the wheat into the soil. The straw is then deposited over the same area as mulch.

According to a study published in the leading journal Science, this process can “eliminate air pollution by crop burning and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from on-farm activities by more than 78% relative to all burning options.”

It could also come as a relief to people in North India who suffer health issues every year as 23 million tonnes of rice residue is burnt.

While this process can help solve the issue of stubble burning, it also saves farmers Rs 1,000/ha during cultivation.

Trials with the ‘Happy Seeder’ were conducted in West Bengal, and tribal villages in Kasdol block of Baloda Bazar, Chhattisgarh, where it showed promising results.

The zero tillage technology currently costs Rs 1.3 lakh.

#WingifyEarth encourages such proactive initiatives.

#WingifyEarth in partnership with 'The Better India'