Biochar in Indonesia and Zambia: Main Research Findings

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1 Biochar in Indonesia and Zambia: Main Research Findings Vegard Martinsen 1 Gerard Cornelissen 1,2, Jan Mulder 1, Sarah Hale 2, Magnus Sparrevik, Henrik Lindhjem, Alfred Obia, Jubaedah, Neneng Nurida, Verania Andria, Heri Tabadepu, Robert Bachmann, Theeba Manickam 1 Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway 2 Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Oslo, Norway Retort kiln, Zambia vegard.martinsen@nmbu.no 1

2 What is biochar? Biochar is the charcoal product obtained when biomass is heated without access to oxygen (pyrolysis). Jha, P., Biswas, A.K., Lakaria, B.L. & Rao, A.S Biochar in agriculture - prospects and related implications. Current Science 99:

3 Why biochar? 3

Biochar as soil fertility improvement Implementation Funding: Norwegian Research Council (NFR) Ministry of

4 Biochar in Indonesia, Nepal, Zambia, Malaysia, Tanzania, Brazil - Six projects at NGI and NMBU Combination Soil Science, Technology, Socio-Economics, Implementation Focus on tropical areas Biochar technology and production Biochar as soil fertility improvement Implementation Funding: Norwegian Research Council (NFR) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nordic Climate Fund Norad Recently KLIMAFORSK (NFR) UNDP (Indonesia) Gas emissions; Gerard Cornelissen 4

5 Technology: Gas emissions from biochar kilns a) Adam b) Retort kilns retort Drum retort c) d) e) Retort kilns: Pyrolysis gas (methane, carbon monoxide, smoke) led back to chamber and combusted. Biochar Yields: Non retort 34%; Retort 48% Non-retort kilns 5

Emission factors (g / kg char) Gas emissions: Retort kilns burn much cleaner than traditional kilns 700 Retort Non-retort 600 500 480 554 400 300 200 108 137 100 17 54 0 Sparrevik

6 Emission factors (g / kg char) Gas emissions: Retort kilns burn much cleaner than traditional kilns 700 Retort Non-retort Sparrevik et al. submitted CO CH4 PIC a PIC is defined as all products of incomplete combustion (CO+ NMVOC (non-methane volatile organic components) +CH 4 and TSP (total suspended particles )) 6

Biochar and soil quality Biochar affects: Soil fertility Chemical fertility (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, ph, base saturation) Physical fertility (aggregate stability, plant

7 Biochar and soil quality Biochar affects: Soil fertility Chemical fertility (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, ph, base saturation) Physical fertility (aggregate stability, plant available water) Biological fertility (nutrient turnover) Binding of pollutants The soil s role as a reactor in global change (e.g. CO 2, N 2 O, CH 4 emissions). 7

8 Chemical quality of biochar: -Biochar quality varies with feedstock and production procedure. -Cacao shell BC has higher alkalinity (ANC): May have stronger soil ph-increasing effect -Cacao shell biochar is very rich in K (and Ca & Mg) Martinsen, V.; Hale, S.E.; Cornelissen, G.; Nurida, N.L.; et al. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr. Submitted. 8

9 Addition of biochar to soil: Liming effect Cacao shell biochar Rice husk biochar -Cacao shell BC: Stronger ph-increasing ph effect than rice husk biochar. -Greater effects in soils with low CEC and high ph. Martinsen, V.; Hale, S.E.; Cornelissen, G.; Nurida, N.L.; et al. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr. Submitted. Martinsen, V.; Hale, S.E.; Cornelissen, G.; Nurida, N.L.; et al. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr. Submitted. 9

10 Why is ph increase important? Improves soil biological processes (mineralization, nitrification) Increases variable charge (capacity to bind nutrient cations) Increases P availability Mobility of many pollutant trace elements (including heavy metals) decreases with ph Mobility of Al decreases (particular problem in tropics) Al toxicity effects on fine roots 10

11 Biochar: Chemical or physical effect? At Lampung: Alleviation of Al toxicity Agronomy, Sumatra, Indonesia 15 ton/ha 0 ton/ha 5 ton/ha Soil: ph 3.6 Cacao shell biochar on Ultisol, Lampung, Sumatra Season 3 How long lasting is the effect?

12 Grain (ton/ha) Maize yield Lampung (all received NPK) 6,000 Cocoa shell Rice husk 5,000 4,000 3,000 1,294 0,195 1,937 1,385 2,000 1,000 0,004 0,006 0,000 0 ton/ha 5 ton/ha 15 ton/ha Cacao shell biochar has much better agronomic effects than rice husk biochar.

13 Zambia: Acidic soils, but no Al toxicity. Soil physical effect? Kaoma, Western Zambia Biochar improves soil quality in poor, sandy soil with a low nutrient status and low water holding capacity Sandy soil Kaoma and Mongu (12 farms): 4 ton/ha 281 ± 153% of control 2 ton/ha 178 ± 99% of control charcoal 4 t/ha control maize char 4 t/ha Cornelissen, G; et al. Agronomy, 2013.

14 NRDC: good soil ph 7 (40% plant available water) No effect of biochar Control Wood Char 4 t/ha Maize Char 4 t/ha Cornelissen, G; et al. Agronomy, 2013.

Mongu, Zambia Cornelissen Martinsen Shitumbanuma Alling Breedveld Rutherford Sparrevik Hale

15 Zambia: Soil physical effect, increasing available water? No agronomic effect Shimabala Mkushi Agronomic effect Slight agronomic effect Agronomic effect Mongu, Zambia Cornelissen Martinsen Shitumbanuma Alling Breedveld Rutherford Sparrevik Hale Obia Mulder. Biochar Effect on Maize Yield 15 and Soil Characteristics in Five Conservation Farming Sites in Zambia. Agronomy, 2013.

16 Zambia: Is it the water? Loamy sand Agronomic effect Sandy loam Slight agronomic effect Sand Agronomic effect Loam No agronomic effect Clearest effect on sandy soils with least plant-available water! Cornelissen Martinsen Shitumbanuma Alling Breedveld Rutherford Sparrevik Hale Obia Mulder. Biochar Effect on Maize Yield 16 and Soil Characteristics in Five Conservation Farming Sites in Zambia. Agronomy, 2013.

Zambia: Or is it the nutrients? Without biochar: No effect of fertilizer With biochar: Increased yields! Field trials in Mongu: Martinsen, V., et al. 2014.

17 Zambia: Or is it the nutrients? Without biochar: No effect of fertilizer With biochar: Increased yields! Field trials in Mongu: Martinsen, V., et al Farmer-led maize biochar trials: effect on crop yield and soil nutrients under conservation farming,journal of plant nutrition and soil science. (6 t/ha) 17

18 Biochar and the plant root system No Biochar Biochar Shovelomics (description of root traits in the field: Greater root biomass for biochar amended plots (Abiven et al. Submitted ms) 18

19 Vertisols West Timor: 30% better corn harvest even at ph 7. Improved drainage of heavy clay? West Timor, Indonesia

20 Biochar increases freely drained water. Soils more aerated. Small change in plant-available water. West Timor, Indonesia Field Capacity Wilting point Pressure

21 Biochar decreases nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions: Sharp decrease with ph 0% BC 2% BC 5% BC Biochar: No N 2 O at ph > 5 NaOH addition: 50% N 2 O at ph 5 10% BC How is this in the field? Obia Cornelissen Mulder Dörsch. Soil Biol. Biochem.., submitted.

22 Effects of biochar on soil fertility If Increased soil ph Decrease Aluminium toxicity Increased CEC (sorption capacity of nutrient cations) Increased available K, Ca, Mg, P Increased plant available water in sandy soils Increased drainage in heavy clay soils Sequestration of carbon Decreased emission of N 2 O (not soil fertility effect) All effects depend on the type of biochar (Cacao shell, corn cob, rice husk, ) Long lasting? The alkalinity leaches The biochar ages 22

23 Socio-economic challenge for smallscale tropical farmers Bad soils good biochar effect farmers too poor because of the bad soils! Good soils no effect of biochar farmers could invest but see no need. Mkushi Kaoma Mongu 23

24 Challenges for biochar implementation in Zambia Biochar generation technology: stoves too small, retort kilns too expensive, traditional kilns dirty Corn cobs not enough feedstock: pigeon peas appear a good solution Social factors: extra work, no investment possibilities because of bad soils Improved cooking stoves TLUD Traditional brick kiln Clean retort kiln Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) 24

25 The road further Scale up biochar implementation both in Indonesia and Zambia. Goal Zambia: reach 60 communities on the sandy soils of Western Zambia. In Indonesia: Initiative with UNDP, biochar introduction in several villages in East Nusa Tenggara and Central Sulawesi provinces. Collaboration with the private company and banking sector to facilitate capital for micro finance institution working with biochar production and application business. 25

26 Thank you for your attention! More information and publication links: ( 26

Biochar in Zambia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nepal: Field trials, Technologies, Implementation

Biochar in Zambia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nepal: Field trials, Technologies, Implementation Gerard Cornelissen 1,2,3, Sarah Hale 1, Magnus Sparrevik 1, Gijs Breedveld 1, Vegard Martinsen 2, Jan Mulder