Why You Should Never Burn Your Fields: The Hidden Dangers for Soil, Air, and Health

By Rubick Marketing · Nov 05, 2025 · 5 Minutes

A Common Practice with Unseen Damage

In many farming communities, burning agricultural fields after harvest has become a quick way to clear leftover crop residue.
It saves time and effort - but at a huge hidden cost.

As explained in the video “Don’t Burn Your Field”, this practice silently destroys the soil, pollutes the air, and harms both the farmer and the environment.

At Organic Mandya, we believe that understanding the science behind this issue is the first step toward protecting our land, our health, and our future.

“A single matchstick can destroy what nature took years to build - fertile soil.”

1. What Happens When You Burn Your Field

When farmers set fire to crop stubble or leftover residue, the top layer of soil - rich in nutrients and microbes - is exposed to intense heat.
The temperature during field burning can reach 600–800°C, enough to kill almost all beneficial life forms in the soil.

Immediate Effects of Field Burning:

Destruction of essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Death of beneficial microorganisms that naturally fertilize the soil.
Reduction of soil’s organic carbon, making it dry and lifeless.

Soil Element	Effect of Burning
Nitrogen	80–90% destroyed instantly
Organic Carbon	Lost due to heat and oxidation
Beneficial Bacteria	Killed completely
Soil Texture	Becomes hard and compact

“Burning your field is not cleaning it - it’s sterilizing it.”

2. Soil Degradation: The Invisible Consequence

Healthy soil is alive. It’s filled with millions of living organisms - bacteria, fungi, and earthworms - that recycle nutrients and make the land fertile.

When fields are burned, this ecosystem collapses.
The soil turns hard and brittle, losing its ability to hold water and air.
Over time, the field becomes infertile and requires more fertilizers and water to produce the same yield.

Key Signs of Soil Degradation:

Loss of moisture and nutrients.
Reduced crop yield season after season.
Hardening of soil surface (poor aeration).
Dependence on chemical fertilizers.

“The fertility of your land is your greatest asset - protect it, don’t burn it.”

3. Air Pollution and Health Hazards

The smoke from burnt fields doesn’t disappear - it rises into the air, creating thick layers of smog and toxins that affect everyone, especially children and the elderly.

Burning one hectare of crop residue can release up to 13 tons of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter into the air.

Health Risks of Field Burning:

Respiratory problems such as asthma and chronic cough.
Eye irritation and skin allergies.
Increased risk of heart and lung diseases due to prolonged exposure.

Farmers and nearby communities suffer the most, breathing in the same polluted air they helped create.

Pollutant	Health Impact
Carbon Monoxide	Reduces oxygen supply in blood
PM2.5 Particles	Causes lung damage
Methane & NOx	Triggers asthma and heart issues

“When we burn the soil, we burn our own breath.”

4. Environmental Damage Beyond the Field

The consequences of field burning go far beyond the farm.

Air pollution contributes to climate change by releasing greenhouse gases.
Ash and soot settle on nearby water bodies, reducing water quality.
Loss of vegetation around fields destroys biodiversity.
Global warming worsens due to the carbon released from burnt residues.

Field burning is one of the main contributors to the smog crises in states like Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi every winter - showing how one local act can have national consequences.

5. Why Farmers Burn Fields - The Root Cause

Most farmers don’t burn fields because they want to harm the soil - they do it because it seems fast, cheap, and convenient.
After harvesting, they are under pressure to prepare for the next crop quickly, and clearing the residue manually takes time.

However, this short-term convenience leads to long-term loss:

Decreased soil fertility.
Higher cost of fertilizers.
Declining productivity over the years.

“What saves you time today might cost you your soil tomorrow.”

6. Sustainable Alternatives to Field Burning

Instead of burning, farmers can adopt eco-friendly ways to manage crop residue and enrich their soil.

1. Composting and Vermicomposting

Turn crop residue into organic manure using cow dung, compost, or earthworms.
It improves soil structure and fertility naturally.

2. Mulching

Spread crop residue over the soil as a protective layer.
It prevents weeds, retains moisture, and adds nutrients as it decomposes.

3. Green Manuring

Plant leguminous crops (like cowpea or sunhemp) between seasons and plough them back into the soil for nitrogen enrichment.

4. Cow-Based Fertility Systems

Use Jeevamrutha, Ghanajeevamrutha, and Panchagavya - natural bio-fertilizers made from cow dung and urine - to regenerate soil health.

Alternative	Key Benefit
Composting	Converts waste into fertilizer
Mulching	Conserves water and prevents weeds
Green Manure	Restores soil nutrients
Jeevamrutha	Revives microbial life

7. Organic Mandya’s Mission: Protect the Soil, Protect the Future

At Organic Mandya, we believe that soil is a living entity - a mother that nurtures every seed.
Our mission is to educate farmers about sustainable practices that heal the earth rather than harm it.

Through our farmer training programs, we teach:

How to convert crop waste into compost instead of burning it.
How organic residue can improve yields and soil quality.
How sustainable practices can make farming more profitable long-term.

By moving away from burning and embracing organic farming, farmers can create eco-friendly, self-sustaining ecosystems that benefit both land and community.

“A farmer’s true success is not in how fast he clears the field - but how long his land stays fertile.”

Conclusion: Let the Soil Breathe, Not Burn

Field burning might seem easy, but it is one of the most destructive habits in agriculture.
It kills the soil, pollutes the air, and harms every living being around.

If we want a future of clean air, fertile soil, and healthy food, the change must begin at the field level.
Every farmer who chooses to compost, mulch, or regenerate the soil is not just saving his land - he’s saving the planet.