Biochar for Sustainable Agriculture and Environment in Karnataka
Chinthana Foundation, Ajjampura, Karnataka
Contact: Mr. Channappa
Dates: April 2024 – April 2027
Total Budget: 19,14, 000
2025 Budget: Rs. 6,38,000 ($7,876)
This project in its second year aims to improve the soil condition with Biochar, a charcoal as a permanent compost to the soil. Biochar holds moisture and nutrients in the soil, shelters micro-organisms and Improves soil and crop yields. Biochar is produced using scrap wood, agricultural waste, fallen tree leaves and other biomass as raw material and is burnt in steel metal drums. Pyrolysis synthesizes this mass by burning under extreme heat with very low oxygen to make solid biochar. After it cools, it is crushed and mixed with organic manure to make a highly nutritious compost for the soil. Additional benefits include reduction in emission of CO2 and other GHGs (greenhouse gases) into the atmosphere.
The Biochar project is being implemented in two Gram Panchayaths of Ajjampura block namely Begur and Gadihally over a period of 3 years with 100 beneficiary farmers selected each year. Small scale production requires wood and other biomass cut into small pieces and put into the burning chamber of steel metal drums. Once the biochar is ready for use, it is mixed with organic manures such as cow dung and leaf compost. Technical support for this project is being provided by IBBN (Indian Biochar and Bio resources Network) and WHWB (Warm Heart Worldwide and Biochar Life).
This year, awareness and training sessions were held to mobilize farmers in the Biochar initiative. A total of 100 keen farmers were selected and received mild steel metal drums to make biochar. Heavy rainfall in the region during summer has resulted in wet biomass and has delayed biochar production. Once biochar is made, farmers will mix it to make enriched compost for use in new plantings in their fields.
Significant improvement in crop health and growth has been observed from last year’s plantings with using biochar as compost. The difference between the crop after the use of biochar (below left) is quite striking contrasted with the crop before the use of biochar in the same field (below right).
