Agro-waste management in India: A thematic review of practices, impacts and sustainable pathways

Recent evidence on agro-waste management in India is synthesised through a thematic review of 58 peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2025. Using a preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA)-based systematic approach, the study analyses disposal practices, recycling pathways, soil health impacts, technological innovations, socio-economic drivers, environmental implications and governance mechanisms. The synthesis integrates evidence related to residue generation, disposal practices, recycling pathways, environmental impacts and policy interventions across diverse agricultural regions of India. The findings indicate that residue burning continues across many agricultural regions due to operational and institutional constraints. In contrast, recycling approaches including composting, mulching, biochar application and in situ incorporation significantly improve soil organic carbon, nutrient availability and microbial activity. However, adoption remains uneven due to economic, technical and institutional barriers. The study advances a systems-level perspective, highlighting that agro-waste management is shaped by interactions among technology, policy and farmer decision-making. It concludes that enabling governance frameworks, improved service delivery systems, functional machinery networks and viable residue-based value chains are essential for achieving sustainable and scalable agro-waste management in India.