Feasibility of biochar technology to support the sustainable intensification and decarbonization of cocoa production in West-Africa

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cg.authorship.typesCGIAR multi-centreen_US
cg.contributor.initiativeExcellence in Agronomyen_US
cg.coverage.countryCôte d'Ivoireen_US
cg.coverage.countryGhanaen_US
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2CIen_US
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2GHen_US
cg.coverage.regionAfricaen_US
cg.coverage.regionWestern Africaen_US
cg.coverage.regionSub-Saharan Africaen_US
cg.creator.identifierMirjam Pulleman: 0000-0001-9950-0176en_US
cg.creator.identifierEric Rahn: 0000-0001-6280-7430en_US
cg.creator.identifierRuben Coppus: 0000-0002-6536-6391en_US
cg.creator.identifierThuy Nguyen: 0009-0001-2908-1866en_US
cg.creator.identifierTiffany Talsma: 0000-0002-7764-4846en_US
cg.subject.actionAreaResilient Agrifood Systemsen_US
cg.subject.alliancebiovciatCACAOen_US
cg.subject.alliancebiovciatCLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATIONen_US
cg.subject.alliancebiovciatCLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATIONen_US
cg.subject.alliancebiovciatCROP PRODUCTIONen_US
cg.subject.alliancebiovciatSOIL HEALTHen_US
cg.subject.impactAreaClimate adaptation and mitigationen_US
cg.subject.impactAreaEnvironmental health and biodiversityen_US
cg.subject.impactAreaPoverty reduction, livelihoods and jobsen_US
cg.subject.sdgSDG 1 - No povertyen_US
cg.subject.sdgSDG 12 - Responsible production and consumptionen_US
cg.subject.sdgSDG 13 - Climate actionen_US
dc.contributor.authorPulleman, Mirjamen_US
dc.contributor.authorHougni, Deo-Gratiasen_US
dc.contributor.authorRahn, Ericen_US
dc.contributor.authorBarrio, Julianen_US
dc.contributor.authorCoppus, Rubenen_US
dc.contributor.authorNguyen, Thuy Thanhen_US
dc.contributor.authorRoobroeck, driesen_US
dc.contributor.authorTalsma, Tiffanyen_US
dc.date.accessioned2025-02-05T10:23:24Zen_US
dc.date.available2025-02-05T10:23:24Zen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/172789en_US
dc.titleFeasibility of biochar technology to support the sustainable intensification and decarbonization of cocoa production in West-Africaen_US
dcterms.abstractDecarbonization represents a major challenge for global commodity value chains, including cocoa. As biochar is increasingly presented as an effective carbon removal technology, it has attracted the attention of the chocolate industry. Moreover, potential agronomic and environmental benefits of biochar production and its utilisation in tropical soils could contribute to sustainable intensification of cocoa cultivation. Yet, scaling of biochar technologies has not yet been observed. We therefore explored the technical and environmental feasibility of biochar production in the context of smallholder cocoa farming in Ivory Coast and Ghana, responsible for more than 60% of the global supply. We combined extensive literature review with expert interviews to inform a carbon accounting model. The model calculates a carbon balance associated with different scenarios of biochar production and incorporation in soil under cocoa cultivation, compared to a baseline representing current practices. Next, we synthesised practical challenges and opportunities for adoption and scaling, based on the same interviews. The carbon removal potential of biochar is fully realised only if its production is coupled with bioenergetic applications that displace GHG emissions from non-sustainably sourced energy. In the most plausible scenario, the woody pruned residues and cocoa pod husks are gasified in improved cookstoves yielding ~20% biochar. Largest uncertainties arose from the use of fossil fuel powered machines for feedstock crushing, biochar grinding, and transport from and to conversion site. Additional challenges for scaling include labour demand, feedstock availability, application rates, equipment reproducibility at local scale, and lack of proven yield response. Opportunities include biochar co-composting in nutrient deficient soils, and application of biochar to seedlings exposed to drought conditions (nursery and replanting) and in light-textured, acidic soils. The study highlights consolidated knowledge and priorities for further research. Low technology readiness for current cocoa farmers, further exacerbated by economic challenges, will need to be addressed for farmers and industry to benefit from the opportunities of biochar.en_US
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Accessen_US
dcterms.bibliographicCitationPulleman, M.; Hougni, D.; Rahn, E.; Barrio, J.; Coppus, R.; Nguyen, T.T.; Roobroeck, d.; Talsma, T. (2024) Feasibility of biochar technology to support the sustainable intensification and decarbonization of cocoa production in West-Africa. 17 sl.en_US
dcterms.issued2024en_US
dcterms.languageenen_US
dcterms.licenseCC-BY-4.0en_US
dcterms.subjecttheobroma cacao-cacao (plant)en_US
dcterms.subjecttheobroma cacao-cacaoen_US
dcterms.subjectsoil amendmentsen_US
dcterms.subjectresiduesen_US
dcterms.subjectenmiendas del sueloen_US
dcterms.subjectresiduo de cosechasen_US
dcterms.typePresentationen_US

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