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The Himalayan region of India, faces significant challenges related to soil degradation, environmental sustainability, and climate change. Biomass recycling is a critical strategy to enhance soil fertility, reduce environmental footprints, and sustain agricultural productivity in the region. This chapter explores various biomass recycling techniques, including mulching, cover crops, intercropping, composting, direct incorporation, biochar production, residue removal and utilization, agro-geotextiles, and the use of municipal solid wastes and industrial byproducts for their potential soil and environmental sustainability benefits. Mulching with organic materials like crop residues and forest litter reduces erosion in rainy season and conserves soil moisture in post-rainy season, and improves soil organic matter level of slopping arable fields of the Himalaya. Composting and direct incorporation of organic residues enrich the Himalayan soils with essential nutrients and enhance microbial activity, leading to improved soil structure and fertility. Biochar production, offers carbon sequestration, improved soil water retention, and increased nutrient availability for long-term soil health. Residue removal for livestock feed and utilization of their cow-dung as composts prevent the loss of valuable organic carbon as CO2 in the air by residue-burning while providing feedstock for other recycling processes. Valorization of huge biomass of perennial grasses such as Arundo donax as agro-geotextiles stabilize fertile soil on steep slopes, reduce erosion, conserve moisture and promote crop growth. Recycling industrial byproducts and municipal solid waste may be a useful strategy to improve soil fertility and reduce the environmental problems related to waste disposal while also adding organic matter and vital nutrients. Field studies across different agro-climatic zones of Himalayas show that integrating these biomass recycling techniques leads to significant improvements in soil quality indicators, climate change alleviation, and soil fertility. Hence, biomass recycling presents viable and sustainable nature-based positive solutions for soil and environmental sustainability in the Himalayan region, supporting local livelihoods and global environmental goals.

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Biomass Recycling for Soil and Environmental Sustainability in the Indian Himalayas

  • 章节

  • 发表日期：

    2025年

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  • Amit Kumar,
  • Raman Jeet Singh,
  • Trisha Roy,
  • Raghavendra Singh,
  • Subhash Babu,
  • Gautam Kumar

摘要

The Himalayan region of India, faces significant challenges related to soil degradation, environmental sustainability, and climate change. Biomass recycling is a critical strategy to enhance soil fertility, reduce environmental footprints, and sustain agricultural productivity in the region. This chapter explores various biomass recycling techniques, including mulching, cover crops, intercropping, composting, direct incorporation, biochar production, residue removal and utilization, agro-geotextiles, and the use of municipal solid wastes and industrial byproducts for their potential soil and environmental sustainability benefits. Mulching with organic materials like crop residues and forest litter reduces erosion in rainy season and conserves soil moisture in post-rainy season, and improves soil organic matter level of slopping arable fields of the Himalaya. Composting and direct incorporation of organic residues enrich the Himalayan soils with essential nutrients and enhance microbial activity, leading to improved soil structure and fertility. Biochar production, offers carbon sequestration, improved soil water retention, and increased nutrient availability for long-term soil health. Residue removal for livestock feed and utilization of their cow-dung as composts prevent the loss of valuable organic carbon as CO2 in the air by residue-burning while providing feedstock for other recycling processes. Valorization of huge biomass of perennial grasses such as Arundo donax as agro-geotextiles stabilize fertile soil on steep slopes, reduce erosion, conserve moisture and promote crop growth. Recycling industrial byproducts and municipal solid waste may be a useful strategy to improve soil fertility and reduce the environmental problems related to waste disposal while also adding organic matter and vital nutrients. Field studies across different agro-climatic zones of Himalayas show that integrating these biomass recycling techniques leads to significant improvements in soil quality indicators, climate change alleviation, and soil fertility. Hence, biomass recycling presents viable and sustainable nature-based positive solutions for soil and environmental sustainability in the Himalayan region, supporting local livelihoods and global environmental goals.