This seemingly convenient and labor-saving habit not only wastes a source of agricultural by-products but also increases environmental pollution, affecting community health and the quality of cultivated soil. Meanwhile, straw can be completely utilized as organic fertilizer, animal feed, or raw materials for production, contributing to a green and sustainable agriculture.

During the rice harvest season, fields, especially the Mường Thanh field, are filled with thick smoke due to the burning of straw. In some places, smoke blankets the entire field and spreads to residential areas, making the air suffocating. Many residents living near the fields say that every harvest season they have to close their doors tightly because the smoke and the smell of burning straw cause eye irritation and breathing difficulties, particularly for the elderly and young children. The burning of straw also poses a risk to traffic safety. On many roads running through the fields, the smoke from burning straw restricts the vision of drivers.

The main reason farmers burn straw after harvest is its convenience, quick disposal, less labor, and ease of soil preparation for the next crop, especially when transitioning from the winter-spring crop to the summer crop because the time between the two seasons is short. Lò Văn Hùng from Mường Thanh ward shared: “In this winter-spring crop, my family cultivated more than 2,000m2 of rice, so the amount of straw after harvest is quite large. If we do not burn it, collecting or treating it is very time-consuming, and plowing machines find it very difficult to operate. Local people have been used to doing this for many years because they think it cleans the fields and makes it convenient to prepare the soil for the next crop.”

On the fields of Thanh An commune, just one to two days after harvest, many plots are already on fire. Columns of greyish-white smoke roll up, covering the entire field. Not only on the Mường Thanh field, but also in many other localities, the burning of straw after harvest is quite common. Many people believe that burning straw kills potential pests and weeds in the fields, while creating a certain amount of ash to act as fertilizer for the soil. In addition, burning fields helps limit ratoon rice, creating favorable conditions for soil preparation.

However, according to specialized agencies, the short-term benefits of burning straw are negligible compared to the long-term consequences for the environment and cultivated land. When straw is burned, a large amount of organic matter and beneficial microorganisms in the soil are destroyed by the high temperature, causing the soil to gradually lose nutrients, degrade, and harden. Direct burning in the fields also reduces soil looseness, affecting crop yields in the long run. In addition, burning straw wastes an opportunity to increase income for farmers.

It is estimated that each hectare of harvested rice can generate about six tonnes of straw. In this winter-spring crop, the entire province cultivated 9,780.32ha, meaning the amount of generated straw is enormous. According to calculations, if this volume of straw is treated with biological products, about 400kg of organic fertilizer would be obtained, or it could be utilized for animal feed, mushroom cultivation, or mulching plant roots, which both reduces environmental pollution and increases economic value for farmers.

Decree No.45/2022/NĐ-CP on administrative penalties in the field of environmental protection regulates that the act of burning straw, which impacts the environment and public health, will be fined. Specifically, a fine of VND 2.5 - 3 million is applied to the act of burning crop by-products outdoors near residential areas, airports, and major traffic routes. Despite specific regulations, inspection and handling still face many difficulties due to long-standing farming habits and the fact that straw burning often takes place on a small scale and scattered over a wide area.

The agriculture and environment sectors recommend that instead of burning straw, causing pollution and waste, farmers should collect it for reuse for many practical purposes. Currently, there are several units in the province purchasing straw as raw materials for production. For instance, the Điện Biên Mushroom Center uses an average of 250 - 300 tonnes of straw per year for mushroom cultivation. Therefore, farmers can completely sell or utilize straw to increase their income, while contributing to reducing environmental pollution and enhancing the value of agricultural by-products.

In fact, many households in the area have changed their habits, choosing to utilize straw instead of burning it after harvest. For many years, the family of Nguyễn Văn Chiến in Sam Mứn commune has not burned straw after harvest but utilized it for livestock farming. After each harvest season, he collects the straw, dries it, and stores it as feed for his cattle during winter. According to Nguyễn Văn Chiến, this method not only helps save livestock costs but also keeps the fields clean, limiting smoke and dust from affecting the environment.

In the context of agricultural production increasingly moving towards green and sustainable development, changing the habit of burning straw is a necessary requirement. This not only helps reduce environmental pollution and protect public health but also contributes to soil improvement and enhances long-term production efficiency. To minimize the risks from the habit of burning fields, alongside the efforts of functional sectors, the role of local residents is the decisive factor. Each farmer needs to raise awareness and change farming habits, not for short-term benefits that cause long-term impacts on the environment and the community. Local authorities need to strengthen dissemination, guidance, and appropriate management measures to control straw burning in the fields.