Winds of change led by resolve of a local farmer, Amandeep Singh Mangat
24 June, 2026 – Ludhiana : As the paddy season begins and nurseries sway in the early summer breeze, the state once again braces to face its perennial challenge — stubble burning.
However, the story is different at Jatana village in Khanna block, where no farm fires have been reported in the past six years, according to data from the state Agriculture Department.
The winds of change are led by the resolve of a local farmer — Amandeep Singh Mangat — who inspired collective efforts that have transformed Jatana into a model of sustainable farming.
“No to stubble burning” is etched on walls across the village, painted on the bus stand and written on motor rooms in the fields, reminding anyone visiting the village to carry the spirit of change with them.
Mangat, who cultivates 39 acres — partly owned, partly rented — has shown conviction, backed by science, can transform farming practices.
Dedicated to scientific farming, he attended agricultural camps and ‘kisan melas’ at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). It was his association with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Samrala, in 2016 that proved transformational.
“Had it not been for the continuous help and assistance of the CII Foundation and the KVK, I would still be a conventional grower,” he said.
After attending seed production and crop residue management trainings, Mangat began in-situ incorporation of paddy straw on an acre. Observing healthier soil and better yields, he gradually expanded it to the entire field.
The turning point came when he compared conventional wheat sowing with the happy seeder method. “In a happy seeder plot, weed count was less, irrigation needs dropped by 25 per cent and the yield was higher. I saved Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 per acre in preparation costs,” he added.
By 2018, he was sowing 10 acres with happy seeder.
His conviction soon spread across the village. With support from CII Foundation, the village acquired 16 happy seeders on subsidy. Soon after, stubble burning vanished from the fields at the village.
The village now has happy seeders, super seeders and reversible ploughs, and is equipped to handle crop residue without fire.
Impressed by its commitment to sustainable practices, delegations from the Union Ministry of Agriculture and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) have visited the village.
The impact has also rippled outwards. Farmers in neighbouring Begowal, Mehdoodan, Araichan and Chak Sarwan Nath villages have followed suit, aided by Jatana’s custom hiring of residue management machinery.
With an annual income of nearly Rs 50 lakh, Mangat’s success is not just financial, it is environmental and communal.
“The soil health of my fields has improved, fertiliser use has come down and I am saving water,” he says with pride. His journey underscores how science, persistence and collaboration can rewrite farming practices.
Mangat has a simple yet powerful message for fellow farmers: “Adopt in-situ methods, embrace technology and shun stubble-burning. The future of our soil and air depends on it.”
The Tribune