India generates hundreds of millions of tonnes of crop residue every year, particularly in rice- and wheat-producing states like Punjab and Haryana, where open burning has long contributed to severe air pollution and climate-warming emissions. Rather than letting this biomass go up in smoke, innovators and industry are exploring ways to turn agricultural waste into climate-friendly solutions that benefit the environment and rural economies.

Startups and projects are converting crop leftovers into high-value materials such as bio-based chemicals for cosmetics, resins and biodegradable packaging, showing that what was once a disposal problem can be raw material for sustainable economies. Others focus on bioenergy pathways, where agricultural residues are processed into bio-CNG, pellets, briquettes or other renewable fuels that can help reduce fossil fuel use and local air pollution. India’s potential to harness this biomass at scale aligns with wider circular economy and climate goals by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, cleaning air, and creating new income streams for farmers.

Efforts also include technological advances such as biochar and bio-coal production that stabilise carbon and improve soils when returned to fields, while other innovators are developing crop-waste-derived biodegradable plastics and packaging that reduce reliance on petroleum-based plastics.

The challenge now is building the infrastructure, markets and policy frameworks to scale these circular solutions across India’s agricultural belt — turning a perennial pollution source into a pillar of climate-smart industry and rural resilience.