Biochar in Zambia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nepal

Biochar in Zambia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nepal

Biochar in Zambia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nepal:
Field trials, Technologies, Implementation
Gerard Cornelissen1,2,3, Sarah Hale1,
Magnus Sparrevik1, Gijs Breedveld1,
Vegard Martinsen2, Jan Mulder2
1
Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Oslo, Norway
2 University of Life Sciences (UMB), Ås, Norway
3 Stockholm University, Sweden
BC
No
BC
Biochar in Indonesia, Nepal, Zambia
(Malaysia, Tanzania, Brazil) 6 projects at NGI and UMB; total € 3 mill
Combination soil science, socio-economic science, implementation
– Norwegian Embassy – Zambia, Brasil, 2010-2015
– Nordic Climate Fund – Tanzania, 2013-2015 (next presentation- Ellingsen)
– Norwegian Research Council –
• ”NorGlobal”, ”FRIMUF”, Indonesia + Malaysia, 2011-2014
• Personal Grant ERC FriPro, Zambia/Nepal/Indonesia, 2012-2017
Kaoma,
Zambia
Indonesia Malaysia Norway
biochar consortium
Field Sites Zambia
18 maize
farmers
Kaoma
Mongu
(2012)
NRDC
Mkushi
Chisamba
UNZA farm
Shimabala
Biochar and conservation farming: Zambia
Conservation Tillage: planting basins, only 10-12% tilled
Strongly reduces amount of biochar (and fertilizer) needed
Biochar +
NPK in
basins
Traditional kilns
Maize cob
biochar
Look
Biochar
Works
Kaoma, Western Zambia
in poor, sandy soil
at 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
Cornelissen, G; et al. Agronomy, 2013.
control
maize char
4 t/ha
Block trial University Zambia (UNZA), oxisol pH 4.1:
clear effect of 6 tons/ha biochar
maize char
0 t/ha
maize char
6 t/ha
NRDC: good soil
(pH 7, CEC 20 cmol/kg; 40% plant available water)
No effect of biochar
Control
Cornelissen, G; et al. Agronomy, 2013.
Wood Char 4 t/ha
Maize Char 4 t/ha
Harvest relative to control plots
CHANGE COMPARED TO CONTROL (%)
450
CHARCOAL DUST 0.8 TON/HA
400
MAIZE CHAR 0.8 TON/HA
350
300
CHARCOAL DUST 4 TON/HA
250
MAIZE CHAR 4 TON/HA
Tripling of yield
200
150
Doublingof yield
100
50
0
-50
Kaoma
Magoye
Sandy &
acidic soils
UNZA
Chisamba
Acidic
soils
Mkushi
Shimabala
NRDC
Good
soils
Why is biochar so effective?
• Compensation of acidity
• Nutrient sponge
• Water sponge
Soil/
char Soil/
Kaoma
Soil char
Good
UNZA
effect in
Kaoma soil
field
NH
sorption isotherm
CEC
CEC in
+
+ No effect
(cmol/kg) 4
5%
biochar
field
pH, no
Al availability
Al biochar
availability
4
7
(cmol ch/kg)
+ 5% biochar
9
11
5.4
UNZA soil
Charcoal
Kaomadust
biochar
Corn UNZA
cob biochar
Charcoal dust biochar
Corn cob biochar
Good
0.02
85effect in
field
1.14
40
pH, 5% biochar
3.8
< 0.01
8.8
7.0
6.2
K = 100 L/kg
0.02 d
8.7
Cornelissen, G; et al. Agronomy,
2013.
Hale, S.E.; et al. Chemosphere,
2013.
Pot trial Zambia (4 soils, 2 biochars, 128 pots)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
0.5% biochar + full fertilizer
2% biochar + 50% of fertilizer
Only fertilizer
Only 2% biochar
Control
Control
NPK
43
34
27
12
5
g biomass
g biomass
g biomass
g biomass
g biomass
Maize C Char C Maize C
+½NPK +½NPK
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
Pigeon peas
Improved cooking
stoves ”TLUD”
Clean retort kiln
Traditional brick kiln
Socio-economic challenge for small-scale
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
Mongu,
Zambia
Life-cycle assessments (LCA) of biochar in Zambia
LCA can combine these
effects to asses the overall
impact of biochar!
Full LCA biochar in Zambia (per kg corn)
250
Normalized impact (ecopoints)
Conventional agriculture
200
Conservation farming
Kaoma- strong yield effect of biochar
Without BC
CF - trad kiln
CF - retort kiln
150
With BC
CF - TLUD
100
50
0
-50
Climate Change
Particulate
impacts
Matter emission
Mineral and
fossil fuels
Sparrevik Field Martinsen Breedveld Cornelissen. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013.
Remaining
categories
Overall impact
Full LCA biochar in Zambia
160
Normalized impact (ecopoints)
Conventional agriculture
140
120
100
Conservation farming
CF - trad kiln
CF - retort kiln
UNZA - moderate yield effect of biochar
Without BC
With BC
CF - TLUD
80
60
40
20
0
-20
Climate Change Particulate
impacts
Matter emission
Mineral and
fossil fuels
Sparrevik Field Martinsen Breedveld Cornelissen. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013.
Remaining
categories
Overall impact
Sigi, Lore Lindu NP
Lampung
Bogor
Central
Kalimantan
NTT, West Timor
Lampung, Sumatra, field test after 2 weeks:
wet rice, dry rice, maize; cacao and rice husk char
Lampung, Indonesia. Sandy loam, ultisol
Cacao shell biochar also better than rice husk biochar in the field: pH effect
15 ton/ha
0 ton/ha
5 ton/ha
Season 3
Grain yield (all received NPK)
Cocoa shell
Rice husk
6.000
Grain (ton/ha)
5.000
4.000
1.937
3.000
1.294
0.195
2.000
0.004
0.006
1.000
0.000
0 ton/ha
5 ton/ha
15 ton/ha
1.385
Chemical properties: increased pH, P, Ca/Al, BS
Soil Properties
pH H2O
pH KCl
Total P2O5 (mg/100 g)
Total K2O (mg/100 g)
Available P2O5 (ppm P)
Exch. Ca 2+ (cmol(+)/kg)
CEC (cmol(+)/kg)
Base saturation (%)
Exchangeable Al 3+
Ca / Al
Cacao shell (t/ha)
0
5
15
3.59±0.06
4.09±0.16
4.72±0.38
3.52±0.06
3.68±0.05
3.95±0.24
26.4±1.8
28.5±3.3
30.9±5.9
5.5±1.1
18±5
47±25
30±3
34±6
50±18
0.67±0.08
0.86±0.09
1.19±0.32
5.01±0.45
5.08±0.32
5.34±0.27
19±2
30±4
51±15
2.35±0.17
1.71±0.18
0.72±0.50
0.3
0.5
1.7
Rice husk (t/ha)
0
5
3.69±0.07
3.72±0.08
3.57±0.04
3.55±0.03
21.1±3.9
26.5±5.3
4.3±1.2
7.1±1.2
35±10
47±17
0.67±0.11
0.73±0.14
4.67±0.46
4.56±0.74
22±3
25±5
2.04±0.18
2.01±0.30
0.3
0.4
15
3.73±0.06
3.60±0.05
25.2±4.0
8.2±2.1
40±8
0.72±0.02
4.54±0.75
26±2
1.79±0.04
0.4
West Timor;
Farmer engagement
30% better corn harvest at pH 7:
improved drainage of heavy clay?
Negative effect of biochar on field capacity and
plant-available water
West Timor, Indonesia
Pressure Thank you for your attention!
”Wants to reduce climate gas
emissions with gnawed-off corn
cobs”
Leading Norwegian daily newspaper
”Wants to make biochar from rice husk”