ICRISAT research finds biochar with farm residue benefits farmers

ICRISAT scientists explored the design of an affordable, farm-level operable kiln for biochar production aimed at supporting smallholder farmers.

Sangareddy: The International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) researchers have unveiled a decentralised biochar production system for farm-level sustainability. Researchers found the production of biochar was only the solution to address the farm residue.

ICRISAT scientists explored the design of an affordable, farm-level operable kiln for biochar production aimed at supporting smallholder farmers.

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Director General of ICRISAT, Dr Jacqueline Hughes said biochar production not only solved the issue of managing crop residues, but its application in soil health, wastewater treatment and carbon farming would open up opportunities to move towards a cleaner and greener future.

Dr ML Jat, Director, Global Research Program – Resilient Farm and Food Systems, ICRISAT emphasised the importance of adopting a decentralised approach to ensure that the process benefits the farmers. “This low-cost, decentralized biochar production technology will be an affordable and viable option for farmers and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to solve the issues around crop residues in a sustainable manner. Moreover, this technology also aligns well with government incentives for voluntary carbon markets and environmental initiatives like the ‘Mission Life-Lifestyle for the Environment program,” Dr Jat noted.

ICRISAT is advancing its initial biochar research into a broader, strategic long-term study.

This expansion aims to explore biochar production from various crop residues and to standardize its use across different cropping systems and soil types. The goal is to create a well-rounded set of practices that will deliver tangible benefits to farmers, officials said.