Acknowledgement

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my teacher Asst. Prof. Mr.Kaushik who
gave me the golden opportunity to do this wonderful project on the topic Agricultural Pollution,
which also helped me in doing a lot of Research and I came to know about so many new things I
am really thankful to them.
Secondly I would also like to thank my parents and friends who helped me a lot in finalizing this
project within the limited time frame.

Shivam

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An introduction on what is Agricultural Pollution?

Developing means of farming and agriculture is the reason humans live in the world they do
today. It is a necessary means of survival, without which there would be famines all over the
world. For thousands of years, agricultural was a natural process that did not harm the land it was
done on. In fact, farmers were able to pass down their land for many generations and it would
still be fertile as ever. However, modern agricultural practices have started the process of
agricultural pollution. This process causes the degradation of the ecosystem, land, and
environment due to the modern-day by-products of agriculture.

No single cause can be attributed to the widespread agricultural pollution we face today.
Agriculture is a complex activity in which the growth of crops and livestock have to be balanced
perfectly. The process of agricultural pollution stems from the many stages their growth goes
through.

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1. Causes of Agricultural Pollution

1.1. Pesticides and Fertilizers

To begin with, the earliest source of pollution has been pesticides and fertilizers. Modern-day
pesticides & fertilizers have to deal with the local pests that have existed for hundreds of years
along with the new invasive species. And so, they are laden with chemicals that are not found in
nature.

Once they have been sprayed, it does not disappear completely. Some of it mixes with the water
and seeps into the ground. The rest of is absorbed by the plant itself. As a result, the local
streams that are supplied water from the ground become contaminated, as do the animals that eat
these crops and plants.

1.2. Contaminated Water

Contaminated water used for irrigation is one further source of pollution. Much of the water we
use comes from groundwater reservoirs, canals and through the rains. While plenty of it is clean
and pure water, other sources are polluted with organic compounds and heavy metals. This
happens due to the disposal of industrial and agricultural waste in local bodies of water.

As a result, the crops are exposed to water which has small amounts of mercury, arsenic, lead,
and cadmium dissolved in it. The process of agricultural pollution becomes harder to fight when
such water poisons livestock and causes crop failure.

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1.3. Soil Erosion and Sedimentation

Further problems are caused by soil erosion and sedimentation. The soil is comprised of many
layers and it is only the topmost layer that can support farming or grazing. Due to inefficient
farming practices, this soil is left open for erosion and leads to declining fertility each year.
Whether eroded by water or wind, all this soil has to be deposited somewhere or the other.

The resulting sedimentation causes the soil to build up in areas such as rivers, streams, ditches
and surrounding fields. And so, the process of agricultural pollution prevents the natural
movement of water, aquatic animals and nutrients to other fertile areas.

1.4. Livestock

In the olden days, farmers would keep as much livestock as their land could support. The cattle,
sheep, pigs, chickens and other animals were fed natural diets, which was supplemented by the
waste left over from the crops. As a result, the animals contributed to keeping the farm healthy as
well.

As of now, livestock is grown in cramped conditions where it is fed unnatural diets and sent to
slaughterhouses on a regular basis. As a result, they add to the process of agricultural pollution
by way of emissions.

1.5. Pests and Weeds

Growing exotic crops and reducing the natural species in a certain area has become the norm for
agriculture. However, it is simply adding to the process of agricultural pollution. With the arrival

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of new crops, the native population has to deal with new diseases, pests, and weeds that it is not
capable of fighting.

As a result, the invasive species destroy the local vegetation and wildlife, altering the ecosystem
permanently. This is especially the case with Genetically Modified foods, which create plant and
animal species that can wipe out the existing species in a matter of years.

2. Effects of Agricultural Pollution

2.1. Health Related Issues

Agricultural pollution is the main source of pollution in water and lakes. Chemicals from
fertilizers and pesticides make their way into the groundwater that ends up in drinking water.
Health-related problems may occur as it contributes to blue baby syndrome which causes death
in infants. Oil, degreasing agents, metals and toxins from farm equipment cause health problems
when they get into drinking water.

2.2. Effect on Aquatic Animals

Fertilizers, manure, waste, and ammonia turns into nitrate that reduces the amount of oxygen
present in water which results in the death of many aquatic animals. Again, bacteria and parasites
from animal waste can get into drinking water which can pose serious health hazards for various
aquatic life and animals.

Keeping agricultural pollution in check is much harder than it seems. For the farms to become
clean once again, levels of water, soil, and industrial pollution have to be kept in check. Over the
last decade or so, governments have become stricter about enforcing regulations. Farmers are
also becoming more aware of the damage and are looking for solutions.

Many farms are moving back to traditional manure, direct irrigation from local water bodies and
organic means of keeping pest populations in check. But for the process of agricultural pollution
to be fully reigned in, there has to be a complete shift in the way agriculture is practiced.

3. Stuble burning in Punjab/Haryana:-Case Study

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Punjab has recorded a 25 per cent increase in stubble burning incidents as compared to 2018,
which the state government attributed to early harvesting of paddy crop this year. The number of
farm fires in Haryana, however, has decreased by 10 per cent as compared to last year, despite
the "moderate implementation of the ban on stubble burning due to elections", according to
officials.

Till October 20, Punjab recorded 2,482 cases of stubble burning against 1,980 last year, an
increase of around 25 per cent. A significant rise in stubble burning was recorded on October 19
and 20. While 446 cases were reported on October 19, the number on October 20 touched the
500 mark. Only 64 cases were recorded on October 18 when a western disturbance caused
rainfall in parts of Punjab. According to Punjab Pollution Control Board data, Tarn Taran,
Amritsar and Patiala have recorded 450, 417 and 249 cases, respectively, till October 20/2019.
The period between October 15 and November 15 is considered critical as maximum number of
stubble burning incidents take place in this span in Punjab and adjoining states, which is one of
the main reasons for alarming spike in pollution in Delhi-NCR.
Despite a ban on stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, farmers continue to defy it amid lack of
financial incentives.

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State governments are providing 50 to 80 per cent subsidy to farmers and cooperative societies to
buy modern farm equipment for insitu-management of paddy straw, and running a massive
awareness campaign against stubble burning.
A Punjab government official, who did not wish to be named, said the high court's September 19
order staying the recovery of fine from farmers found violating the ban on stubble burning has
subdued the effect of challans. "Not one challan has been issued this year."
However, Karunesh Garg, member secretary of the Punjab Pollution Control Board, said the
court had only stalled the recovery of fine imposed in previous years and that challans will be
issued this time too.
"The single bench referred the matter to the court of chief justice who has categorically said that
stubble burning is banned. The government has also made it clear and issued strict directions to
curb farm fires," he said.
"We have identified the erring farmers and the process of issuing challans has been set in
motion," Garg said.
Another official on condition of anonymity said that bypolls in some parts of Punjab "prevented
the government from issuing challans this year".
Secretary (Agriculture) K S Pannu said the number of farm fires seems large because of early
harvesting of paddy crop.
"This year, the harvesting began around a week earlier as compared to the last year. That's the
reason the number of farm fires looks
big. I am sure the cumulative figure at the end of the harvesting period will be much smaller," he
said.
The Centre and the state government have made serious interventions, provided farm equipment
and undertaken massive awareness drives to prevent stubble burning. If not this year, the
problem will be completely resolved in the next two years, Pannu said. Haryana Pollution
Control Board Member Secretary S Narayanan said 102 challans have been issued against
farmers for violating the ban on stubble burning, but the recovery of fine has been put on hold
following the high court order.
"The number of farm fires has gone down considerably, despite the harvesting season starting
early and the official machinery being busy in elections," he said.

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The Delhi government has repeatedly attributed the spike in pollution in winter to rampant
stubble burning in neighbouring states.
"Air quality in Delhi has been good or moderate for the last 7-8 months, but they (pollution
levels) have starkly gone up now... Clearly, the sudden spike in pollution is a result of smoke
coming from outside," Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said earlier.
The Delhi government has also tied up with Washington University and set up a center near
India Gate to collect data with the help of which it will be able to tell the degree of air pollution
due to specific sources from April of 2020.

4. The Conclusion and Solutions: Agricultural Pollution

Farmers apply nutrients on their fields in the form of chemical fertilizers and animal manure,
which provide crops with the nitrogen and phosphorus necessary to grow and produce the food
we eat. However, when nitrogen and phosphorus are not fully utilized by the growing plants,
they can be lost from the farm fields and negatively impact air and downstream water quality.

This excess nitrogen and phosphorus can be washed from farm fields and into waterways during
rain events and when snow melts and can also leach through the soil and into groundwater over
time. High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus can cause eutrophication of water bodies.
Eutrophication can lead to hypoxia (“dead zones”), causing fish kills and a decrease in aquatic
life. Excess nutrients can cause harmful algal blooms (HABs) in freshwater systems, which not
only disrupt wildlife but can also produce toxins harmful to humans.

Fertilized soils, as well as livestock operations, are also vulnerable to nutrient losses to the air.
Nitrogen can be lost from farm fields in the form of gaseous, nitrogen-based compounds, like
ammonia and nitrogen oxides. Ammonia can be harmful to aquatic life if large amounts are
deposited from the atmosphere to surface waters. Nitrous oxide is a potent greenhouse gas.

There are many ways that farmers can reduce nutrient losses from their operations1, including,
but not limited to:

 Adopting Nutrient Management Techniques: Farmers can improve nutrient

management practices by applying nutrients (fertilizer and manure) in the right amount,
at the right time of year, with the right method and with the right placement.2,3
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 Ensuring Year-Round Ground Cover: Farmers can plant cover crops4 or perennial
species5 to prevent periods of bare ground on farm fields when the soil (and the nutrients
it contains) are most susceptible to erosion and loss into waterways.

 Planting Field Buffers: Farmers can plant trees, shrubs and grasses along the edges
of fields; this is especially important for a field that borders water bodies. Planted buffers
can help prevent nutrient loss from fields by absorbing or filtering out nutrients before
they reach a water body.6

 Implementing Conservation Tillage: Farmers can reduce how often and how intensely
the fields are tilled. Doing so can help to reduce erosion, runoff and soil compaction, and
therefore the chance of nutrients reaching waterways.7

 Managing Livestock Access to Streams: Farmers and ranchers can install fence along
streams, rivers and lakes to block access from animals to help restore stream banks and
prevent excess nutrients from entering the water.8

 Engaging in Watershed Efforts: The collaboration of a wide range of people,

stakeholders and organizations across an entire watershed is vital to reducing nutrient
pollution to our water and air. Farmers can play an important leadership role in these
efforts when they get involved and engage with their State governments, farm
organizations, conservation groups, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and
community groups.

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Bibliography
1
https://www.cals.iastate.edu/files/misc/183758/reducing-nutrient-loss-science-shows-what-
works.pdf

2
https://extension.psu.edu/programs/nutrient-management/educational/soil-fertility/nutrient-
management-to-improve-nitrogen-use-efficiency-and-reduce-environmental-losses

3
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/best-management-practices-for-agricultural-nutrients

4
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ny/technical/?cid=nrcs144p2_027252

5
https://phys.org/news/2016-07-perennials-nutrient-runoff-gulf-mexico.html

6
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-
07/documents/2006_8_24_msbasin_symposia_ia_session4-2.pdf

7
http://asi.ucdavis.edu/programs/sarep/about/copy_of_what-is-sustainable-
agriculture/practices/conservation-tillage

8
https://extension.psu.edu/programs/nutrient-management/educational/best-management-
practices/stream-bank-fencing-green-banks-clean-streams

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