Removing Carbon, Reducing Methane, and Improving Lives
Working with Smallholder Farmers of the Developing World
From Raffles Place to Pai Valley
Fifteen years ago, as I sat in an office in Raffles Place, Singapore, gazing upon a cityscape dominated by towering high-rises, I had a dream to build an off grid house in the north of Thailand. It was a yearning for some much needed balance — a counter to the frenetic corporate pace of Singapore. Fast forward to today, and here I am, 15 years later, penning down this blog with a view of the picturesque Pai valley before me. It’s an incredibly beautiful spot but certainly not everyones cup of tea. We regularly encounter snakes, have a crocodile-sized monitor lizard residing in our pond, and the 1.5km off-road terrain often means we’re barricaded during the rainy spells.
Our neighbours? Smallholder farmers. This year, there’s been an abundance of corn, undergoing four rotations. I’m happy to see the local farming community busy, of course, but with every new crop comes additional agricultural waste. “Corn is an inherently dirty crop,” explains Michael Shafer, the founder of Warm Heart Worldwide, our parent organisation. “Three quarters of the plant itself ends up as waste. Only 22% is actually corn kernel that people can eat. You get stalks, you get cob, you get husk…you have to get rid of it, to clear it for next year’s crop. If your field is on a mountain slope, you’re not gonna pick it up by hand, you can’t run a tractor over it, so out comes Mr Bic [lighter] and vroom — your field is clear again.”
The burning season, typically from February until the first rains in May or June, hugely impacts the north of Thailand. Chiang Mai spends weeks at the top the Air Quality Index (AQI) charts with readings between 300 and 400 not uncommon. Pai doesn’t get a mention as it’s not a city, but it’s often at least 25% higher.
The Burning Issue and Its Silent Aggravator: Methane
Accounting for over one-third of all black carbon emissions, open burning stands as the primary contributor to the release of black carbon. This transient climate pollutant plays a significant role in aggravating air pollution, accelerating climate change, and intensifying melting in areas covered by snow and ice. Beyond this, open burning is a leading factor behind illnesses and fatalities linked to air pollution, following closely behind cookstoves.
But agricultural waste burning is not just about black carbon; it’s also a significant source of methane emissions. Methane is a chief contributor to climate change, second only to carbon dioxide.
Globally around 450 million tonnes of crop residues are burnt each year resulting in 1.2 million tonnes of methane emissions. The global warming potential (GWP) of methane is approximately 28 times that of an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide over a century and escalates to over 80 times within a 20-year timeframe.
The Smallholder Solution
The key to addressing this environmental conundrum lies with the very smallholder farmers at the epicentre of the challenge. While the reasons for burning primarily revolve around economic viability, there’s an alternative that serves both the environment and their livelihood: biochar.
By introducing and educating these farming communities about biochar production — a type of charcoal derived from organic waste — we provide them with an alternative to open burning. This method, known as pyrolysis, carbonizes organic matter in an oxygen-deprived environment. The significance? It not only diverts the release of methane associated with open burning but also transforms agricultural waste into a stable carbon form. This biochar can be incorporated into the soil, sequestering carbon for centuries, as well as having the potential to improve agricultural productivity.
Creating biochar from crop waste isn’t just about mitigating methane emissions; it’s also about transforming problematic waste into a solution that boosts soil health and captures carbon — the dual benefit of reducing methane emissions while enhancing carbon sequestration underscores the profound impact of this simple yet transformative solution.
“As the infrastructure in all aspects of the project areas does not justify a large and high-cost pyrolysis unit, we started working with distributed low-cost pyrolysis,” explains Mart de Bruijn, Co-founder of Dutch Carboneers. “This way, we can effectively change the status quo of agricultural practices in the rural Global South, apply the biochar to the deteriorated soils, and in the meantime, reverse climate change in big volumes of CO2 removal.”
Co-Benefits: Enhancing Public Health and Alleviating Rural Poverty
Beyond the environmental gains, halting the burning of agricultural waste presents numerous co-benefits. Burning releases not only methane but also particulates, black carbon, and other pollutants detrimental to respiratory health. By curbing this practice, we are contributing to improved air quality and, by extension, enhanced public health in rural communities.
Additionally, by aiding communities in generating c-sink credits, we are able to facilitate a new income stream for farmers. This not only alleviates rural poverty but also incentivizes sustainable agricultural practices, creating a positive feedback loop for both the environment and the community.
A Holistic Approach to Carbon Removal: The Global Artisan c-sink Methodology
In the broader narrative of climate solutions, carbon removal is a pivotal chapter. The Global Artisan c-sink methodology champions this, blending carbon removal with the empowerment of smallholder farmers. By working with these farmers, we tap into a network that affects profound change, environmentally and socially.
Empowering communities becomes central in our battle against climate change. They aren’t mere beneficiaries but active participants in molding a sustainable future. Investing in this methodology isn’t merely about offsetting emissions; it’s about being part of a grassroots movement. Every tonne of carbon removed by a smallholder farmer signifies a step towards a healthier planet and a more equitable world.
From my vantage in the Pai Valley, the endeavors of Biochar Life and the Global Artisan c-sink methodology are not abstract strategies but tangible transformations of landscapes and lives. For investors and environmentalists alike, this is an invitation to be part of a holistic solution — one that addresses methane emissions, uplifts communities, and charts the course for a sustainable future.
If you’d like more more information on how Biochar Life are working with smallholder farmers, get in touch for your free concept paper: hello@biochar.life
