Crop residue burning in northern India causes severe air pollution and depletes soil fertility. According to media reports, farmers, who continue despite a ban, claim that they have no alternative. While law enforcement and a lack of mechanical alternatives have been proposed as main reasons for crop residue burning, the mindset of farmers remains unknown.
Time: 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Venue: Lecture Hall 1, Annexe, India International Centre, New Delhi 110001
Speaker: Max Friedrich, researcher, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology
Chair: Bidisha Barooah, Senior Evaluation Specialist, 3ie
Discussant: Santosh Harish, Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi
Max Freidrich will present the results of a recent study using the risks, attitudes, norms, abilities and self-regulation psychological theory approach to determine the main drivers of and barriers to reducing crop residue burning. The discussion will focus on how they play a key role in crop residue management and how population-tailored behaviour change interventions can complement existing efforts to tackle crop residue burning.
About the speaker
Max Friedrich is a post-doctoral researcher at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology in the Environmental and Health Psychology group. He holds a PhD in environmental science from University of Tübingen. As a 3ie grantee under the Increasing Latrine Use Evidence Programme, he has been working in India, developing and testing low-cost interventions to promote latrine use in Karnataka.