Till a few decades ago farming families like his had bulls to plough their land & turn the soil.
It was hard work for both man & beast.
Then came tractors & threshers so the farmer found it more economical to dispense with the bull & instead hire machine & equipment every season.
After the soil is turned by the tractor there is a problem in disposing off the stubble/fodder.
There is no bull to feed nor cow dung cakes to make.
Also the silica content in the fodder & the fuel spillover of the threshing machine makes it a challenge to sell it
Cost is the main hurdle.
When a single matchbox can do the job why would a farmer spend Rs 3500/acre ? - was a quote in one of the articles I read.
These farmers decided not to burn paddy stubble on 700 acres & ploughed it back into their fields.
Not only did they nourish the soil but their yield also went up by 20%.
Evidently the Centre & State governments have to first self educate, take up the issue on a war footing & then ENFORCE
Short term saving now could mean spending billions on healthcare later ...