ICAC's ‘Cone-Pit Open Earth Kiln’ is improving soil health across Asia and Africa

The most recent practical training session on the technique was held in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire, on 13 April 2023, for the staff of multiple organisations. Prior to that, the ICAC conducted a three-day training course for a different group of participants in March 2023 in Kushtia, Bangladesh.

Over the past two years, the ICAC has conducted several practical training programs on this simple, low-cost technique to produce biochar from cotton stalks and other farm residues in Zambia, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and other countries. It is now being widely used by hundreds of farmers in Africa and is spreading to other countries, including Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Bangladesh and India. 

According to Dr Keshav Kranthi, ICAC Chief Scientist, preliminary results show that biochar produced from cotton stalks was found to be highly alkaline and can effectively remediate acidic soils, improve soil structure, enhance cation exchange capacity, and enrich soil health by adding organic carbon. For non-acidic soils, the ICAC developed a novel composting technique combining biochar with the principles of bokashi to improve soil health and obtain higher yields. These techniques help growers not only with additional income today but also improve their resilience to the future impacts of climate change.