As concerns over climate change increase, carbon sequestration practices have taken the spotlight as a partial mitigation technique. Carbon sequestration is the practice of capturing carbon dioxide (C02) and storing it underground, where it has no impact on the atmosphere. This process can include anything from capturing C02 from factories and forcibly injecting it into the earth, to farming practices aimed at reducing the amount of C02 released from the soil. Biochar gardens have arisen as a viable method of farming that promotes carbon sequestration.
Biochar is a charcoal created from green waste through a method called pyrolysis. Adding biochar to soil during crop production accomplishes two things at once: aiding in soil carbon sequestration, and improving the fertility, carbon content, and structure of the soil, improving crop yields.
Pro-Natura International, an organization that seeks to combine local economic growth with the restoration of natural resources, has implemented a series of Super Vegetable Gardens (SVGs) that incorporate biochar in vegetable production. Currently operating in 13 different countries, these SVGs utilize Pro-Natura’s biochar methodologies, which combine ancient Amazonian techniques with modern methodologies created by JTS, a French company specializing in creative solutions in tropical agriculture. Pro-Natura purports that their Super Garden kits can help farmers in tropical climates drastically reduce water usage, increase productivity, and reduce labor hours.
The organization is launching a series of biochar production centers, farmer trials and demonstrations in order to spread awareness and practical knowledge of biochar farming methods. Pro-Nutura’s efforts to incorporate biochar knowledge into local practices can help farmers and gardeners achieve more sustainable agriculture.
