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Biochar Systems for Smallholders in Developing Countries

LAST UPDATED 05.12.2011

CHALLENGE
Biochar is the carbon rich residue of heating biomass without oxygen, a process called pyrolysis, that also releases bio-oil and syngas with high energy content. There is growing interest from public and private investors in biochar as a method for removing vast amounts of atmospheric carbon (mitigation) and rebuilding soil fertility and resilience to drought (adaptation). Considering that the fate of tropical forests lies on the ability to produce more food and energy with less land, the soil fertility effect of biochar is also very relevant to the lasting reduction of deforestation and forest degradation.

Biochar can potentially be also used as a development tool through rehabilitation of degraded soils and greater agricultural yields for smallholders, as well as better predictability in crop production through a lower susceptibility to extreme climatic events. Furthermore, biochar stoves have attracted considerable interest lately for reducing indoor air pollution (causing severe and often fatal respiratory problems).
However, the current enthusiasm for biochar could potentially overlook risks and uncertainties associated with this technology, such as increased demand for plant biomass with further forest conversion to cropland, disruptions to the soil nutrient cycle, degradation of existing soil organic carbon pools when biological