Tag: air pollution

How a policy to address a groundwater shortage inadvertently increased air pollution in northern India

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on December 16, 2022. Posted in In the media.

A recent study by Harvard University, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the University of Michigan, the Public Health Foundation of India, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Columbia University, and the University of California, Los Angeles, has determined the environmental impact of a government policy of delayed rice planting in northwest India.

As explained in an article for the Tech and Science Post, farmers had to push back rice sowing to take advantage of monsoon rains and decrease reliance on groundwater-fed irrigation systems. However, this led to farmers relying on fire to quickly clear fields ready for the next planting season, thereby exacerbating air pollution in the region.

“We have shown that the groundwater and air quality crises are major regional issues and are interconnected,” said co-author Balwinder-Singh, former Cropping System Scientist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in New Delhi. “But there is still a path to clearer skies and safer water practices. Local solutions include planting rice varieties that either grow more quickly or need less water. Promoting less water-demanding crops like maize would be helpful in zones with severe groundwater depletion.”

Read the original article: How a policy to address a groundwater shortage inadvertently increased air pollution in northern India

Pakistan, India transboundary dialogue imperative to resolve Lahore’s pollution: Amin

Written by Bea Ciordia on November 21, 2021. Posted in In the media.

During the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) held in Glasgow, Special Assistant to Pakistan’s Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said that a transboundary dialogue on mitigating air pollution was imperative to resolve Lahore’s smog, which is mostly generated by Indian farmers burning crop residues.

Ending rice-wheat monopoly can ease Delhi woes

Written by Bea Ciordia on November 13, 2021. Posted in In the media.

ML Jat, a principal scientist at CIMMYT, speaks with The Times of India about the work of CIMMYT and its partners on diversification and carbon credits—two futuristic ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture in India.

Seeding happy, cleaning air: Farmers adopting non-burn tech give hope

Written by Bea Ciordia on July 1, 2021. Posted in In the media.

A paper titled “Fields on fire: Alternatives to crop residue burning in India” and published in the prestigious journal Science found that working with the Happy Seeder—a machine that cuts and lifts the paddy straw while simultaneously sowing the wheat crop and spreading the cut straw as mulch over fields—is not just the least polluting, but also the most scalable solution that can be adopted by farmers en masse.

World Health Day 2021

Written by Emma Orchardson on April 7, 2021. Posted in Features.

Health has certainly been in the spotlight over the past year. And how could it not be?

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has thrown into sharp relief the fact that many groups across the world struggle to make ends meet with little daily income, have poorer housing conditions and education, fewer employment opportunities, and have little or no access to safe environments, clean water and air, food security and health services.

In light of this, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on leaders worldwide to ensure that everyone has living and working conditions that are conducive to good health. For many the focus will, understandably, be on access to quality health care services. But there are myriad other factors that influence our ability to lead healthy lives — from how we care for our soil, to what we eat and the air we breathe.

Joining this year’s World Health Day campaign, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is highlighting five areas where it pays to think about health, and the solutions we can use to help build a healthier world for everyone.

It starts with soil

Crop yields fall dramatically when soil conditions aren’t right, but digital nutrient management tools providing tailored fertilizer recommendations can boost farmers’ profits and productivity while reducing emissions.

Douglas Mungai holds up soil on his farm in Murang’a county, Kenya. (Photo: Robert Neptune/TNC)

Robust germplasm

How do we ensure that germplasm reserves are not potential vectors of pest and disease transmission? The second instalment in the CGIAR International Year of Plant Health Webinar Series tackles the often-overlooked issue of germplasm health.

A CIMMYT gene bank worker photographs maize accessions for the database for future reference. (Photo: Alfonso Cortés/CIMMYT)

Quality feed

By growing maize simultaneously for both human consumption and quality animal feed, farmers can get the most out of their crops and conserve natural resources like land and water.

A Bangladeshi farmer scoops up maize flour, produced from his own maize crop, as he prepares feed for his livestock. (Photo: S. Mojumder/CIMMYT)

Feeding communities

The traditional milpa intercrop — in which maize is grown together with beans, squash or other vegetable crops — can furnish a vital supply of food and nutrients for marginalized, resource-poor communities in the Americas.

A farmer holds a maize ear. (Photo: Cristian Reyna)

A healthy planet

Compared to conventional tillage practices, sowing wheat directly into just-harvested rice fields without burning or removing straw or other residues can reduce severe air pollution while lessening irrigation needs.

Air pollution related to crop residue burning imposes enormous public health and economic burdens in northwestern India. (Photo: CIMMYT) — Burning crop residue pollutes the air in northeastern India. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Interested in learning more about CIMMYT’s health-related work? Check out our archive of health and nutrition content.

Featured image: A farmer inspects a drought-tolerant bean plant on a trial site in Malawi. (Photo: Neil Palmer/CIAT)

Can this coincidence help India breathe easier this year?

Written by Mary Donovan on October 23, 2020. Posted in In the media.

“We are unlikely to see big peaks in stubble burning unlike the previous years. The burning of paddy residue is likely to be more evenly distributed across a longer period,” said M.L. Jat, principal scientist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT).