Habit Formation in Crop Residue Burning

Overview

What you will study

Despite its association with reductions in farmland quality, farmers choose to burn residues since it is a quick and inexpensive disposal method that helps prepare farms for subsequent cropping cycles. While the literature extensively examines the reasons for burning rice residue, little attention is paid to the same regarding wheat residue production– mostly because the latter is not typically thought to be burned. However, we find evidence to the contrary in the residue management practices of 301 Indian farmers whom we tracked over two consecutive seasons of rice and wheat.

In the The Habit Formation in Crop Residue Burning course offered by American University of Sharjah (AUS), we examine the extent to which farmers form environmentally destructive habits of burning wheat residue if they previously burned rice residue. 

After controlling for common factors that contribute to residue burning, we determine that farmers are 21 percent more likely to burn wheat residue if they had burned rice residue. Burning is resorted to despite a positive net benefit of selling wheat residue. Identifying drivers of residue burning can facilitate more effective agricultural policies. Wider residue markets could enable pro-environmental choices.