Burning of straw residue is a common practice in many countries of the Asia-Pacific region. In recent times, this practice has drawn the attention of policymakers and the public due to its adverse effects on the environment, including air pollution which impacts the life of millions of people across countries and contributes to climate change as well as loss of fertility of agricultural land. Appropriate agricultural machinery can help farmers adopt sustainable and integrated management of straw residue including its use as fertilizer, cattle feed, bioenergy, substrate for growing mushrooms and industry material.

In order to promote integrated straw management through sustainable agricultural mechanization in member States, it is recommended that awareness raising about the adverse effects of residue burning and the economic benefits accruing from more sustainable approaches should be prioritized. Moreover, support should be provided to farmers towards initial investments for the adoption of the required machinery and equipment while tailoring the solutions to match local conditions.