Go behind the scenes of an artisanal biochar project in India
Blog by Nikita Skopincev and Lia Flury
Biochar is increasingly recognized as an effective carbon removal technology and as one of the most promising solutions in the toolbox of global climate change mitigation. Alongside industrial-scale biochar projects, more and more smallholder farmers and rural communities in countries of the Global South engage in the production of biochar in what are known as “artisanal” projects. Our Technical Removal Solutions (TRS) experts, Lia Flury and Nikita Skopincev, explain what is behind artisanal biochar production.
Biochar is produced by heating organic material such as biomass residues in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis) at a high temperature. This process converts the biomass into biochar. In many rural regions in the Global South, it is a common practice to burn agricultural biomass residues that are commonly viewed as waste such as cotton stalks, rice straw and paddy straw on the farmland. Open-field burning, however, is not only a waste of natural resources – it also causes smoke which is detrimental to farmers’ health and local air quality. In addition to this, the carbon content of the biomass is released into the atmosphere.
Here is where artisanal biochar production comes into play. Artisanal biochar projects are small-scale projects that transform locally available waste biomass resources into valuable biochar by fusing traditional practices of char production with modern sustainable techniques. To that end, small-scale biochar production projects aim to equip farmers with tools and technology, enabling them to produce biochar through pyrolysis at a local scale using traditional manual methods such as soil pits or trench kilns. The activities prevent the release of carbon during open-field burning. By collecting, drying and processing waste biomass into biochar in a controlled process, the carbon that was sequestered from the atmosphere during plant growth is stored permanently in the biochar produced. Artisanal biochar projects follow a decentralized or distributed approach, tailoring each initiative to address the unique needs of each local community.
Though the design for artisanal biochar projects is considerably different to industrial-scale biochar projects, like those found already in Europe or North America, artisanal projects hold the same significant potential to reduce atmospheric carbon. First Climate believes in the potential and positive impact of artisanal biochar, which is why we are increasingly engaging with artisanal biochar projects alongside our industrial-scale biochar projects such as our Swiss Biochar Program or the CARBONITY Project in Canada.
Smallholder farmers are making a difference in Odisha, India
First Climate cooperates with various projects for artisanal biochar production around the globe. Among those projects is our partner program spanning across multiple regions of rural India where there are many smallholder farmers who are making an important contribution to the country's agriculture and rural economy. In our latest field excursion, we visited the Odisha project that has been developed and implemented by carbon project developers Carboneers and Indian partner SRC Natura Products Ltd.
The pictures here were taken at our visit to the Odisha project in spring 2024, and illustrate how decentralized, distributed artisanal biochar projects work. The project collaborates closely with local smallholder farmers in community villages across the state to convert agricultural biomass residues into biochar through pyrolysis using artisanal methods. Local institutions are expanding an active network of local farmers, equipping them with tools, training, technology, and knowledge to produce biochar manually in soil pits, which will be subsequently upgraded to modular pyrolysis units.
Seeing first-hand the dedication, commitment and conviction with which the farmers engage in the project activities was impressive. We visited the project locations in May, just before the rainy season set in. Optimal production conditions are during the yearly drought periods in Odisha as the feedstock needs to be dry to be processed. Traditionally, smallholder farmers in the project area would burn the biomass residues in their fields. But now thanks to the project activities, participating farmers are mixing the produced biochar with locally available compost or manure and applying it to agricultural soil, improving the soil´s capacity to store carbon and retain water and nutrients for the long-term. We were also encouraged to see farmers planting mango trees with the locally produced biochar. It was clear that the communities in the project region were quickly recognizing the long-term benefits of producing and using biochar in soil. Enhanced soil health and richness, increased crop yields and improved resilience to climate change are just some of the positive effects of this project.
Of course, there is a massive positive effect for the climate. Every year, the project removes more than 50,000 t CO2 from the atmosphere. Moreover, the farmers earn wages from the project’s revenue of carbon credit sales on the voluntary market, creating an additional income stream and encouraging economic growth in the region. This way, artisanal biochar production focuses on local engagement, promotes sustainable agriculture, and creates durable carbon removals while boosting livelihoods in rural communities.
Tracking the progress for the Odisha project
Artisanal projects require more traceability because of the high number of individuals involved – this project alone has the potential to increase the number of participating farmers from 1,000 to 120,000 within a period of 3-5 years. Monitoring and verifying the project outcomes and the issuance of the resulting carbon credits are where project partners Carboneers and SRC Natura bring their expertise to the project: Introducing thorough digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (dMRV) systems tailored to the realities of smallholder production as well as traceability through comprehensive data gathering is especially important when it comes to decentralized projects like this one.
The Odisha project already has its own, internally developed dMRV in place: Tracking progress is done using state-of-the-art digital solutions via an app with which farmers are trained to use. The app includes digital moisture and temperature measurements, dMRV of carbon quantification, payment receipts, images with geolocations, and further automated features. As part of the activities, questionnaires are distributed among the participating farmers to further enhance measuring of quantitative benefits related to the project activities.
A role model for future artisanal projects in the Global South
It is always captivating to experience the multifaceted environmental benefits of the projects that we collaborate with. But the Odisha project stands out for us in many ways. It takes biochar beyond carbon removals, highlighting its ability to transform residues left to waste into a valuable carbon sink, and underlining its potential to address both climate change mitigation and soil health.
We are confident that the Odisha project can serve as a role model for future similar projects in India and beyond and that it will contribute to scaling biochar as an effective carbon removal technology!
If your company would like to know more about this project and effective carbon removal technologies like biochar, contact our TRS team today!
What is biochar and what are its benefits?
Biochar is a carbon-rich, charcoal-like material produced from residual biomass through pyrolysis, a self-sustaining thermochemical process conducted in the absence of oxygen. This process not only stabilizes the carbon content in the biomass (for a period ranging from centuries to millennia) but also produces a versatile product – biochar – that offers multiple environmental benefits. Biochar can be used to improve soil structure, increase water retention, and reduce soil erosion. With its porous nature, it also provides a habitat for beneficial soil microorganisms, fostering healthier and more productive soils. These properties make biochar an attractive solution not only for carbon sequestration but also for enhancing sustainable agriculture.
Beyond soil application, biochar has significant potential in other areas, as highlighted in the European Biochar Industry Consortium’s last EBI Biochar Market Report. It can be an additive in building materials like concrete and asphalt, which can store carbon for long periods.
About the authors
Nikita Skopincev is a Junior Project Manager at First Climate Projektentwicklung GmbH, working in both the Technical Removal Solutions (TRS) team and the Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) team. His current focus is on biochar projects and early-stage carbon dioxide removal (CDR) initiatives.
With an academic background in Geosciences and Materials Science, specializing in Mineralogy and Cement, Nikita brings valuable expertise to the development and implementation of innovative climate action projects.
Lia Flury is the Head of the Technical Removal Solutions (TRS) team at First Climate Projektentwicklung GmbH, bringing extensive experience in voluntary carbon markets (VCM) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR).
With a strong academic foundation in Law and Economy (MSc), Lia combines strategic insight with on-ground expertise, particularly in biochar-based carbon removal solutions. Having previously worked at Climeworks from 2018 to 2022, Lia has a proven track record of driving innovative climate solutions and developing impactful projects across the carbon removal sector.
