A comprehensive review on agricultural waste production and onsite management with circular economy opportunities

Farming is the primary source of livelihood in India. A variety of crops (cereals, fibers, oil seeds, sugarcane, and others) are grown for food and other consumable products. This results in the production of a large amount of agricultural waste, also known as crop residue. The disposal of crop residue is a major problem in India. Farmers often burn it in open fields (in-situ burning) due to a lack of farmer-friendly options. This has led to increased air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic plains, the loss of beneficial soil microbes and nutrients, and other health risks. This review paper discusses the current status of agricultural residual production in India. It examines waste-to-energy production technologies and assesses the potential for second-generation fuel production in the country. The paper also discusses in-situ management practices (such as happy seeder, rotary mulcher, shrub master, and paddy straw chopper/shredder) and ex-situ energy recovery technologies (such as biogas, biochar, bioethanol plants, and vermicomposting) for sustainable energy production. This review focused on Agricultural waste generation.Majorly focused on the current status of agricultural residue production.Discussed waste to energy production technologies.It evaluated the second-generation fuels production possibilities in the country.