Waste-to-Wealth in Agriculture: Circular Solutions and Key Numbers
1. India generates about 350 million tonnes of agricultural waste annually, including crop residues, husk, straw, and food-processing by-products, creating serious air, soil, and water contamination risks when mismanaged.
2. MNRE estimates agricultural residues could generate over 18,000 MW of power annually, alongside producing nutrient-rich organic fertilisers that improve soil health and significantly reduce dependence on chemical inputs.
3. Under Crop Residue Management initiatives, ₹3,926.16 crore was released from 2018-19 to 2025-26 to Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, NCT Delhi, and ICAR for targeted residue-management support measures additional.
4. Over 42,000 Custom Hiring Centres were set up for crop-residue machines, and more than 3.24 lakh machines were supplied to CHCs and individual farmers during 2018-19 to 2025-26.
5. Under GOBARdhan, 979 biogas plants were operational by 14 January 2026, covering 51.4% of India’s districts and converting dung, crop residues, and food waste into energy and manure.
6. Globally, food waste reached 1.05 billion tonnes in 2022; about 60% came from households, indicating major consumer-stage losses with significant climate, fiscal, and resource costs worldwide every year.
7. Organic waste decomposing in landfills releases methane and other greenhouse gases, generates odours, and can pollute air and groundwater; segregation, composting, and biomethanation at scale reduce landfill pressure.
8. Circularity is framed around six Rs Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refurbish, Recover, Repair, aiming to minimise raw-material, water, and energy extraction while keeping materials in productive use longer, profitably.
9. India’s circular economy is projected to reach about $2 trillion market value by 2050 and create roughly 10 million jobs, linking waste-to-wealth strategies with growth and employment nationally.
10. Crop residues left after harvest are often utilised as cattle feed, compost, biogas, mulch, or fuel, yet significant shares are still burned in situ for rapid field preparation.
11. Residue burning depletes soil nutrients, degrades soil health, and emits greenhouse gases; in-situ incorporation and ex-situ collection are promoted to cut pollution, curb smoke, and raise productivity notably.
12. Livestock waste includes dung and bedding; during disease outbreaks, timely carcass disposal is essential to prevent infectious and zoonotic spread, requiring infrastructure, financing, trained manpower, and capacity locally.
13. Food waste at markets, retail, and households is being converted into value-added products such as engineered biochar, which can sequester carbon, improve soil, and remove contaminants at scale.
14. Unified GOBARdhan Portal launched in 2023 to enhance transparency; by 14 January 2026, 979 operational plants across 51.4% districts signalled scaled adoption, tracking, and growing private interest nationwide.
15. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, launched 2020-21, provides medium-to-long-term credit; by 2025 it supported 545 organic-input projects with ₹850 crore loans, alongside ₹66,310 crore sanctioned overall nationally for post-harvest assets.
Must Know Terms :
1. GOBARdhan : Launched to convert cattle dung, crop residues, and food waste into compressed biogas (CBG) and organic manure through multi-ministry coordination. Unified GOBARdhan Portal launched in 2023 for transparency and tracking. As of 14 January 2026, 979 biogas plants were operational across 51.4% of India’s districts. Policy support mentioned includes carbon credit trading linkage for CBG, tax relief on CBG-blended fuels, and simplified manure norms under Fertiliser Control Order.
2.CRM: Crop Residue Management initiative targets reduction of open burning by promoting in-situ methods (incorporation/mulch) and ex-situ collection for compost, biogas, and bioenergy. From 2018-19 to 2025-26, ₹3,926.16 crore was released to Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, NCT Delhi, and ICAR. During the same period, more than 42,000 Custom Hiring Centres were set up and over 3.24 lakh machines were supplied to CHCs and individual farmers.
3.CHCs: Custom Hiring Centres are machine hubs created to provide farmers access to crop-residue management equipment without full ownership cost. Under CRM support (2018-19 to 2025-26), more than 42,000 CHCs were established. Over 3.24 lakh machines were deployed through CHCs and to individual farmers, enabling residue incorporation, mulching, collection, and related operations. The programme funding release of ₹3,926.16 crore is linked to these deployments in the listed states and ICAR.
4.Biochar: Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced by heating biomass such as crop residues or wood waste under low-oxygen conditions. Engineered biochar is further treated to improve specific performance, including soil fertility, water retention, and nutrient-use efficiency. The document notes emerging conversion of food waste into value-added products like engineered biochar, with stated potential to sequester carbon, enhance soil health, and remove environmental contaminants, making it a waste-to-value pathway within agriculture and food systems.
5.AHIDF: Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund was launched in 2020 under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan with a corpus of ₹15,000 crore. It aims to catalyse private and cooperative investment across the livestock value chain, including meat and dairy processing, animal feed manufacturing, and waste-to-wealth management. The document also mentions formation of three exclusive Multi-State Cooperative Societies to supply feed and inputs, promote manure/biogas via cooperative models, and enable scientific handling of hides, bones, horns from fallen animals.
6.Indicator241: SDG Indicator 2.4.1 is highlighted as the measure focusing on resilient farming systems that improve soil health and reduce dependence on chemical inputs. The document links circular practices to this indicator by citing composting, biochar use, and biomass recycling as actions that enhance soil fertility, improve productivity, and support environmentally sustainable agriculture. It also connects circular agriculture with reducing global food waste, recorded at 1.05 billion tonnes in 2022, with 60% from households.
MCQ
1. India generates approximately how much agricultural waste annually?
A) 35 million tonnes
B) 150 million tonnes
C) 350 million tonnes
D) 1.05 billion tonnes
2. Agricultural residues in India are estimated to have power generation potential of about:
A) 1,800 MW annually
B) 8,000 MW annually
C) 18,000 MW annually
D) 63,000 MW annually
3. Under Crop Residue Management support (2018-19 to 2025-26), the total release mentioned is:
A) ₹392.16 crore
B) ₹3,926.16 crore
C) ₹15,000 crore
D) ₹66,310 crore
4. The Crop Residue Management release (2018-19 to 2025-26) was directed to which set of states/regions plus ICAR?
A) Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, NCT Delhi, and ICAR
B) Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, NCT Delhi, and ICAR
C) Haryana, Bihar, Odisha, NCT Delhi, and ICAR
D) Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, NCT Delhi, and ICAR
5. Custom Hiring Centres established for crop-residue machines were reported as:
A) Over 4,200
B) Over 12,000
C) Over 24,000
D) Over 42,000
6. Machines supplied for crop residue management during 2018-19 to 2025-26 were reported as:
A) Over 32,400
B) Over 1.24 lakh
C) Over 3.24 lakh
D) Over 9.79 lakh
7. Under GOBARdhan, operational biogas plants as of 14 January 2026 were:
A) 179
B) 579
C) 979
D) 1,979
8. GOBARdhan operational coverage across districts (as of 14 January 2026) was reported as:
A) 25.4%
B) 41.5%
C) 51.4%
D) 61.4%
9. Global food waste reported for 2022 was:
A) 105 million tonnes
B) 1.05 billion tonnes
C) 10.5 billion tonnes
D) 0.105 billion tonnes
10. Of the global food waste in 2022, the share originating from households was reported as:
A) 30%
B) 40%
C) 50%
D) 60%
11. Which set correctly lists the six “Rs” commonly used for circularity in this context?
A) Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refurbish, Recover, Repair
B) Remove, Replace, Recheck, Refine, Rebuild, Repair
C) Reduce, Replant, Rewater, Refuel, Recover, Repair
D) Reuse, Recharge, Renew, Reframe, Recover, Repair
12. India’s circular economy projection by 2050 was stated as:
A) $2 trillion market value and 10 million jobs
B) $10 trillion market value and 2 million jobs
C) $2 trillion market value and 1 million jobs
D) $20 trillion market value and 10 million jobs
13. A direct impact of in-situ burning of crop residues mentioned is:
A) Increase in soil nutrients and moisture retention
B) Depletion of soil nutrients and soil health degradation
C) Elimination of greenhouse gas emissions from fields
D) Reduction in air pollution and smoke episodes
14. Engineered biochar was linked with which set of outcomes?
A) Higher fossil fuel output and higher chemical fertiliser use
B) Carbon sequestration, improved soil health, and contaminant removal
C) Reduced biomass availability and lower soil fertility
D) Higher landfill methane emissions and reduced composting
15. The Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) corpus mentioned was:
A) ₹1,500 crore
B) ₹3,926.16 crore
C) ₹15,000 crore
D) ₹66,310 crore
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