Optimising biochar for soil fertility improvement and climate-smart agriculture among smallholder farmers in Nigeria

Exploring biochar solutions for improved soil health and plant growth

Project Partners: Climate Spheres UK Limited and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike

The rising cost and lack of availability of chemical fertilisers in Nigeria has driven many smallholder farmers, the primary food producers in the country, to seek alternative soil amendments for crop production. One promising alternative to chemical fertilisers is biochar. Biochar is an organic soil amendment derived from agricultural waste materials (feedstocks) through a process called pyrolysis, which occurs under limited oxygen and high temperatures.

Biochar has been shown to enhance soil fertility by reducing acidity, improving water retention, sequestering carbon, and mitigating environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient leaching. Research suggests that while biochar can deliver soil improvements, for optimal crop yields, it should be enriched with nutrients and beneficial microbes through activation or inoculation to improve its capacity to support soil health and plant growth.

Maximising biochar efficiency

Farmers in Nigeria currently struggle to produce sufficient quantities of biochar for adequate application to their cropland. To address this challenge, it is crucial to explore strategies that maximise biochar efficiency. One promising approach to enhance effectiveness is integrating biochar with other soil amendments, such as fertilisers and compost. This combination is an example of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), a key practice in Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA). INM not only improves soil fertility and boosts crop yields, INM also reduces reliance on chemical fertilisers, which are costly, energy-intensive, and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Given the high cost and limited availability of fertilisers in Nigeria, determining the optimal application rates of integrated biochar and chemical fertilisers will be essential for enhancing biochar efficiency, reducing reliance on expensive and harmful chemical fertiliser, and increasing sustainable agricultural productivity.

The broad objective of this collaborative examination of optimised biochar production and application is to evaluate the effects of integrated biochar, compost and fertiliser applications on soil fertility and crop yield improvement among smallholder farmers in Nigeria. A collaborative examination and exchange of expertise on optimised biochar production and application among the collaboration partners from Nigeria, Brazil and the U.K.

For more information

For more information on this project, contact us, or view all projects funded under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Partnership programme.

Innovate UK Climate-Smart Agriculture Partnership: UK-Brazil-Africa brings together innovative people and organisations to promote climate-smart agriculture in Africa.