Happy Seeder is a machine that can plant the wheat seed without getting jammed by the rice straw.

Why do we need Happy Seeder?

•  It is believed that much of the pollution in Delhi in winters every year originates in the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana where farmers burn their fields to dispose of crop residue.

• This in fact is a simple, practical way to eliminate most of the smog that envelopes Delhi and the entire northwest of the country every November.

• At this time of the year, farmers in the states of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh harvest the rice crop by combine harvesters. This machine leaves rice straw strewn all over the fields. Because farmers do not value the rice straw as animal-feed or for non-feed use, they dispose of the residue by burning it. The straws clog the seeder machines that plant the next crop, which is wheat, so farmers need to dispose of the residue before attempting to plant wheat.

• The Happy Seeder is a tractor-mounted machine that cuts and lifts rice straw, sows wheat into the bare soil, and deposits the straw over the sown area as mulch.

Benefits of happy seeder:

• Happy Seeder removes the need to burn rice stubble before planting wheat, therefore reducing air pollution.

•  Direct sowing also reduces soil disturbance, enabling it to retain more nutrients and organic content.

• Possibility of sowing wheat crop just after rice harvesting i.e. option for long duration wheat and rice varieties.

• Possibility of sowing wheat in the residual moisture i.e. saving of one irrigation.

• Timely sowing wheat even after long duration basmati rice varieties.

• Crop residue as much helps in moisture and temperature conservation.

• Improved soil health.

• Environment friendly technology to check air pollution.

Way forward:

• However, despite the benefits of the Happy Seeder, there are some barriers to its adoption, the report says. These barriers include cost, risk aversion and existing subsidies for using herbicides and electricity.

• To overcome these barriers, subsidies are being offered for the purchase of Happy Seeders.