Biochar:
a way to turn India’s farm smoke into black gold.
Prelims:
Environment
& Ecology, Agriculture, Climate Change
Mains:
GS Paper
III- Environment, Agriculture, Science & Technology, Economy
Current
relevance:
Biochar is being promoted as a
sustainable solution to convert crop
residues into a valuable resource,
helping reduce stubble burning, improve soil health, and support
climate change mitigation.
what
is biochar?
Biochar is a carbon-rich, porous material produced
by the thermal decomposition of biomass under pyrolysis process, used to
improve soil health and for long-term
carbon sequestration.
Biochar
as a “Carbon-Negative Solution”:
1.
It is produced by heating agricultural
waste under low-oxygen conditions.
2.
Its slow
rate of decomposition enables biochar
to store carbon in the soil for prolonged periods.
Research
Findings:
1.
Field trials in Akola, Maharashtra showed that
maize stalk-derived biochar enhanced soil organic carbon and improved the
fertility of black soils.
2.
Research in Kerala showed that biochar produced
from coconut leaf stalks improved soil
quality across various cropping systems.
3.
Studies show that biochar can enhance crop productivity by 10–30% and improve water-holding capacity by 10–25%,
particularly in nutrient-deficient
soils.
Carbon
Credits:
1.
Biochar can be integrated into carbon credit markets.
2.
1
tonne of biochar can generate 2–2.8 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent credits.
3.
Eg: IIT-Kharagpur’s KISAN kiln enables farmers to convert
waste into biochar and earn carbon credits.
Source: THE HINDU