Environmental Impacts of Diverting Crop Residues to Fuel Use

Shortage of fuel wood has lead many rural people to switch to using agricultural residues as an alternative energy source. However this has not always been met with universal acclaim due to the role of residues as fertilisers. Although crop residues and animal manure as a nutrient source has been superseded by inorganic fertilizers in most intensive farming systems, they continue to be the main source of crop nutrient replacement in most developing countries. There has developed wide spread assumption that the removal of all crop residues from the fields must therefore be prevented since this will be detrimental to crop productivity. This is a gross simplification on several fronts.