1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Soil protection and rehabilitation for food security (ProSo(i)l)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

GIZ Bénin (GIZ Bénin) - Benin

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

No

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Biochar is generated through the process of pyrolysis (partial combustion) of plant biomass like corn cobs or forest residues, in a heat-intensive, oxygen-free or low-oxygen environment. By spreading biochar on fields, the objective is to enhance the nutrient-holding capacity and structure of soil, and thereby to improve plant production.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Biochar, a residue from the pyrolysis (partial combustion or “thermal decomposition”) of organic matter, can be used as a soil improver. The equipment required for its production is a pyrolysis system (e.g. a drum with a capacity of at least 120 L) and a biochar collection shovel. The biochar production process documented here involves burning corn cobs and crop stalks in a drum that is hermetically sealed with a lid and fitted with a vent. The drum is opened as soon as the residues are completely carbonized (at which point the smoke no longer emerges from the vent). This means the following requirements must be met:
• H/C (degree of carbonation): 0.38
• pH > 8, zero neutralizing value
• Raw (90% < 30mm)
• Ground (90% < 3mm)

The burnt residues are scooped up and cooled down with water. Then, the charred residues are scattered in the crop field. To ensure effective mixing with other fertilizing agents (compost, fertilizers, etc.), the residues must be finely ground. For tropical soils, experts recommend spreading 5 tons of biochar per hectare. To produce 1 ton of biochar, approximately 6 tons of cobs are needed, equivalent to around 12 hectares of maize. This dosage needs to be renewed every 50 years. However, in intensive market gardening with limited space, a higher dosage of up to 10 tons per hectare, or 1 kg per square meter, can be applied.
The recommended reduced dosage of biochar per hectare is 100 kg of ground biochar mixed with the NPK fertilizer dose for the specific crop to be spread 2 weeks after sowing (150 kilograms of NPK for maize or cotton). In practice, two volumes of biochar should be added for every volume of NPK fertilizer. Depending on the availability of organic fertilizer, an additional two or three volumes of compost or well-decomposed manure can be added, and the dosage of biochar should be renewed annually.
To ensure sustainability and scalability, it is important to:
•add organic matter to the biochar to enhance soil fertility;
•train a large number of farmers; and
•ensure easy access to biochar kilns.

This technology offers several advantages, including :
•increased plant growth;
•improved soil structure and physical properties;
•enhanced water retention capacity of the soil;
•increased availability of nutrients in the soil;
•promotion of humus formation;
•creation of a sustainable habitat for microorganisms due to its porous structure;
•accelerated composting and reduction of smells;
•long-term carbon storage in the soil; and
•reduced soil acidity and improved effectiveness of organic and mineral soil enhancers.

Applying biochar to crops helps increase yields. For example, a plot without biochar yielded 1,000 kg/ha of cotton, while a plot with biochar yielded 1,740 kg/ha, resulting in a 74% increase. Similarly, maize yield can be improved by approximately 31% with the application of biochar.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

Indicate year of implementation:

2016

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The use of biochar was facilitated by ProSOL

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• mitigate climate change and its impacts
• create beneficial economic impact
• create beneficial social impact

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

No

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• Yes (Please fill out the questions below with regard to the land use before implementation of the Technology)

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

No

3.4 Water supply

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Comments:

Regarding irrigation, the women at the production sites have wells available. They extract water from these wells and utilize watering cans to efficiently irrigate their plants.

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• improved ground/ vegetation cover
• integrated soil fertility management
• post-harvest measures

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology unit

other/ national currency (specify):

CFA F

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

618.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Cob harvesting	December to April
2.	Construction of the pyrolizer	December to April
3.	Drilling of the hole	December to April
4.	Combustion	December to April
5.	Combustion	December to April

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Collection, transportation, and cutting of the cobs.	ha	1.0	5000.0	5000.0	100.0
Labour	Construction of the pyrolizer	unit	1.0	50000.0	50000.0	100.0
Labour	Drilling of the hole	unit	1.0	500.0	500.0	100.0
Plant material	Cobs	ha	1.0	5001.0	5001.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					60501.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					97.9

Comments:

Farmers face challenges in accurately determining the implementation costs of the technology, but they roughly estimate that they can sell Biochar at F 500 per kilogram with the support of ProSOL.

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Addition of organic matter	During the growth period, once per cycle

4.6 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Fertilizer spreading	ha	1.0	5000.0	5000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Urea	bag	1.0	22000.0	22000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					27000.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					43.69

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Cob availability is the most important factor. Producers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of recycling crop residues. Therefore, a large-scale application requires a large quantity of cobs or harvest residues.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

No

5.5 Biodiversity

Comments and further specifications on biodiversity:

Banikoara is a major cotton-growing area where producers sow cotton over large expanses of land.

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• communal/ village
• group

Land use rights:

• communal (organized)

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Yes

Specify:

Communities have ownership rights to the lands.

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	well
seasonal temperature	dry season	increase	very well
annual rainfall		decrease	moderately
seasonal rainfall	dry season	increase	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	well

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

Comments:

The use of biochar on market garden plants is a promising approach that will lead to more sustainable agriculture in the long term. This approach will make agriculture more resilient to changing climatic conditions and help conserve water resources in the short term while combating climate change.

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 1-10%

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 0-10%

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

No

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Increased crop yields
Regeneration of soil fertility
Increase in the soil's water retention capacity

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
High nutrient fixation capacity
Slower erosion process
Conservation of soil moisture and reduction of water evaporation
Enhancemement of the soil's cation exchange capacity
Reduced agricultural greenhouse gas emissions

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Difficulty in collecting the desired quantity of cobs or crop residues at the right time.	Encourage farmers to leave the corn cob pile unburned
High implementation costs	Gradually select a soil surface area to be improved each year based on the amount of cobs available to the producer. In other words, the ambition to use biochar should be proportional to the raw material available.
Risk of burning	Wear gloves, mufflers and boots

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Inadequate logistical support to quantify carbonization levels	Ensure that the rafts are completely smoke-free before proceeding, or consider equipping them with a moisture meter
Difficulty in determining the appropriate quantity of biochar to apply across a large planted area	Use the density rule to determine the total number of bunches to be planted on its surface

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, 2018. Mesures de Gestion Durable des Terres (GDT) et de l’Adaptation au Changement Climatique (ACC) : Compendium de fiches techniques du formateur

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Behoundja-Kotoko et al., 2022. Impact du Biochar et du Mycotri sur la grande morelle et les nématodes

Available from where? Costs?

https://doi.org/10.56109/aup-sna.v12i2.106

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Rodrigue V. C. DIOGO, Bignon T. C. TAMA, 2019. Acteurs et pratiques pour une production maraîchère durable

Available from where? Costs?

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366012687_Production_maraichere_a_Banikoara_au_Nord_Benin_Acteurs_et_pratiques_pour_la_durabilite_du_systeme_de_production

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

Recycling agricultural residues and biomass into biochar for sustainable market gardening in the Abomey-Calavi district

URL:

https://biblionumeric.epac-uac.org:9443/jspui/bitstream/123456789/4151/1/Rapport%20%20YEMADJE%20%20Modeste%20Amour%20S%C3%A8flimi_compressed.pdf

Title/ description:

The scientific and technological status of biochar production and the conditions for sustainability in Benin

URL:

https://biblionumeric.epac-uac.org:9443/jspui/bitstream/123456789/2644/1/M%C3%A9moire%20ZANNOU-TCHOKO%20Junior%20St%C3%A9phen_compressed.pdf