In the context when majority of studies undertaken in various parts of worlds have reported beneficial effects of biochar to enhance agricultural productivity, governments in developing countries have rarely responded with affirmative policy action. Currently I am assessing policy options for Department of Agriculture in order to promote biochar across the agriculture fields where soil productivity is on decline. Following the encouraging results of biochar piloting, there is willingness in the part of government to invest in production of biochar at indudstrial scale. In the environment where biochar is still a new concept to the farmers as well as agriculture technicians of the government and private businesses, I am looking for your valuable suggestions or relevant studies that would inform me to design an economically feasible strategic plan for production and distribution of the biochar among the smallholders.
This is a very interesting question. I think if benefits outweighs costs of biochar production and uses, then it will be easily adopted in developing economies. In fact, biochar field trials yield good results on poor soils mostly found in tropical developing countries. Hence, it will be a good venture to produce biochar at large scale. Thank you.
As biochar technology is a carbon negative process. Local peoples can prepare the biochar as per their required and availability of waste biomass generated in their surroundings. The government only has to motivate and aware the villagers how they can prepare the biochar by themselves. Government can use the television and by some one the spot demonstration way to aware the peoples.
A question always comes in my mind is how and from where an industrialist /government goings to get the huge amount of waste biomass that is required to continue run the plant.
From my point of view once we commercialize the biochar production for some economical benefits, it goings to adversaly affect the forest area of the country directly or indirectly.
Regards
Sandeep
First of all, I want to say that at present there is a negative demand for biochar in India. Last five years I am working on the Agriculture and rural development sector, only once I have seen the demonstration of Biochar and very few people know about it. The farmers who are deeply seeded with the inorganic farming models are not ready to accept these types of products. Farmers nowadays want magic they do not believe in logic. As an example, I want to share that I started a vermicompost production unit at my home with my father. 8 years of extensive marketing also cannot turn people towards it. The government policy of giving subsidy to the inorganic products also a big reason for it. Now the big companies also started their own product with mixed inorganic substances and selling in the different brand name as organic products. As a result, the farmers attract toward that product and my plant I have to stop. Several meetings awareness camps were organised last 8 years but nothing changes. In such a scenario if you start a biochar industry without identifying the potential and regular customers it will be a gambling.
Can biochar be produced economically on an industrial scale? This I believe can be answered as yes but this will depend on some degree in developing infrastructure for its use.
Ideally the demonstration of this technology would focus on the acid infertile tropics where the biochar will have a maximum positive response.
Another economic aspect is that the value of the biochar is couple to renewable energy source development.
Another very important aspect is finding the maximum utility by better development of crop response curves.
Growing the responsive crop in the responsive area with value for return on investment.
Ideally the demonstration of concept needs to have a seed capital to demonstrate this approach which is highly systematic in its nature.
An excellent of a more systematic approach would be to see sugarcane not as a source of sugar but rather as energy cane and the system will be focused and deriving maximum utility on all the subproducts.
Cosmas Wacal I appreciate your encouraging words. It would be very helpful if you could share any information of large scale biochar production system in operation.
Sandeep Kumar Yes, sustainable supply of biochar feedstock is a real issue for any industrial scale production system. However, in my areas, variety of feed stocks are generated from agriculture wastes, urban recyle centres and community managed local forests. It would be very helpful if you could share any information of large scale biochar production system or economic analysis of the same.
Saswatik Tripathy Your story touched my heart knowing that your 8 years of efforts to promote variety of organic composts didn't yield well to sustain your business. I suspect that this represents numerous initiatives of similar nature. Your case reinforced my belief that production of biochar and other additives cannot sustain commercially without heavy subsidies or startup grants from external sources. It would be very helpful if there is any information of large scale biochar production system or economic analyses.
Paul Reed Hepperly You are absolutely right that demonstrations and piloting of the case studies will serve as the sustainable approach. Beyond, the issue of commercially viable production system of biochar, I am interested to learn about the technology itself and its economic viability. I believe that once the majority of farmers are convinced to its positive effects, market itself stats functioning independently. It would be very helpful if there is any information of large scale biochar production system or economic analyses.
Ngamindra Dahal Please find some related articles. Hope this article helps you to find out the answer to your question. Article Economics of pyrolysis-based energy production and biochar u...
doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2011.11.026
Regards,
Sandeep
Ngamindra Dahal Here is one more very important article. Please find the link to the article for your reading.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2014.07.027
Regards,
Sandeep
Sandeep Kumar : This looks quite interesting paper for my knowledge on the topic. Thank you very much for your help.
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